Harry Potter and the Magic of Life: Year of Change
by Kate Carpenter
Summary: Continuation of previous story: The summer break turns out to be not as calm as Harry would have liked. Lying friends and family members, dementor attacks and nightmares and recurring flashbacks, are just some of the problems and that is not taking into account Voldemort, the new DADA teacher and his Curse-Breaking-Training. And that was before the Ron sat fire to the garden shed
1. Not so sweet summer

Chapter One: Not so sweet summer

It was by far the hottest day of the summer yet.

Temperatures were in the high thirties and the weather forecast promised that they'd be scratching the forty degrees mark this weekend.

Yet despite the blazing heat that was scorching all of south England, Harry Potter still sat on the swings in the far back of the playground.

The metal and the plastic seat he was sitting on were uncomfortably hot and the dead yellow grass at his feet scratched his bare feet.

The soil was dry and hard and cracking open in many places.

Nobody had been allowed to use their sprinklers to safe more water in this draught.

The hinges of the swing creaked as he gently swung back and forth.

His gaze was locked on the ground where his discharged shoes and a newspaper lay next to a bottle of water.

The front page of the newspaper kept moving and changing.

Harry watched as once more the picture of Dumbledore and the headline: "Is Dumbledore losing his mind?" got replaced by a picture or him with a new headline reading: "The boy who lies?".

He studied the picture of himself.

It didn't look anything like him.

The hair was shorter, the eyes so much clearer and brighter.

It was an official photo, taken after the second task last year.

As the picture and the headline changed once more, Harry sighed and pushed the newspaper away with his foot.

Three weeks.

Three whole goddamn weeks since they lot their only witness to the return of Voldemort.

Three weeks of them trying, in vain, to get the message out there.

Lord Voldemort, the darkest wizard since Grindelwald, was back. Reborn on the night of the third and last task of the Triwizard Tournament. His followers stood string as ever behind him and he was set out to finish what he had started all those years ago.

But nobody knew.

Harry had been the only one to witness his return.

Well, there had been someone else.

Barty Crouch Jr., an escaped convict from Azkaban and right hand to Voldemort, had been their key evidence.

But Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic in Great Britain, had ordered his execution by Dementor Kiss before he could testify or really do anything.

Not it was Harrys word against that of the head of their state.

Well, not his alone, Harry had the support of many that knew him, his friends and family.

But Fudge was backed by far more many people.

Among them the very men and women that supported Voldemort and who did everything to keep his rebirth quiet.

And really, they didn't have a difficult job.

Those who feared Voldemort and didn't wanted him to be back, they just closed tehri eyes and called him a liar.

An attention seeking child.

A disturbed victim of a horrible accident.

A crazy lunatic.

The range of sympathy for what they had done to him covered a wide spread.

But in the end, they all agreed that he couldn't be believed.

He'd been traumatized.

He'd made that story up to deal with the trauma of being kidnapped and tortured by the man who had aided in his parents' death.

Three weeks of being ridiculed, attacked, dismissed and ignored by the press.

Three weeks of not being able to walk down Diagon Ally without either being yelled at and insulted or being told to seek out professional mental health help.

So Harr had taken to avoid the magical world.

He had spent his days either at home, in the garden or like today wandering the streets and parks of the neighbourhood that he lived in, distancing himself from everything that was magical.

And yes, that included at times even his friends and family.

But Harry couldn't deal with most of them right now.

While they believed him, they were in a different way unbearable.

Ever since he'd given Dumbledore his memories of the night at the graveyard and he and several other people had watched them, the grown-ups around him walked on eggshells even more then before, treating him like some kind of fragile doll. Harry was sick of their pitying and sympathising glances and their attempts to be kind and understanding and accommodating in every way.

His friends were difficult in the way that they tried to pretend that they could understand and relate when in reality they had no idea.

Every night Harry kept waking up soaked in sweat, crying out loud, thinking he'd been too late, that he hadn't managed to safe Cedric. Or he just vividly relived being tortured.

They had no idea.

Sirius and Remus were probably the worst.

In the graveyard, Harry had been aided by the ghosts of his parents.

They had been there, fending off Voldemort and his followers to buy him some time to escape.

It was a bittersweet memory for Harry, who had never known his parents.

But Remus and Sirius…well, James had practically been their brother.

They had been inseparable since their first year at Hogwarts.

Sirius had even lived with his father after he'd run away from home.

To them, seeing Lily and James once more, almost alive…it had hit them hard.

More than once Harry had caught both of them staring longingly at him or at pictures of his parents around the house.

They had always tried to treat him as himself, as Harry.

But Harry knew that his similar looks to James and his personality that was a mix of both his parents, were sometimes overwhelming to the two men that raised him.

So yeah, he'd been distancing himself from society, his friends and his family.

.

Harry bent down and picked up the botte of water.

The water sloshing around inside was warm and stale but water was water.

As he closed the cap once more he looked around the abandoned park.

The only good thing?

Voldemort and his followers were so hell-bend on keeping a low profile right now that ironically it was relatively safe for him to be out here alone.

Sure, they were still after him and any chance they'd get to kill him they would take but here in the muggle neighbourhood with its newly installed protective perimeter, he was relatively safe, not to mention the new fortifications that had been added to their house as well.

The breeze shifted and the smell of barbeque reached Harry.

His stomach growled.

He'd been up since sunrise and his last meal had been a quick snack around lunch-time.

He was hungry.

Maybe he should go on and head home.

The sounds of voices, several of them, laughing and chatting as well as the sound of bicycles and skateboards rolling across the cemented pathways through the park, made him look over his shoulders.

The group of teenagers that appeared from somewhere behind him, were known to Harry only by sight.

He knew that they were neighbours of his, living up and down the street around him.

But he didn't know their names or their families or in which houses they lived.

He'd seen them hang out around the corner down by the local grocery shop.

They were usually talking and smoking, listening loudly to music while some of them performed tricks on their skateboards and bikes.

They seemed okay but Harry had never felt the need to introduce himself.

He'd never had been friends with the neighbour-kids when he'd still lived with his aunt and uncle and cousin in Surry. All his friends were at Hogwarts, where he spent most of the year anyway. There was really no point in making friends with these teenagers.

He bent down, gathering the newspaper and his shoes in his arms, together with his water bottle.

Yeah, it was probably time to head home.

He could use a shower, he was covered in dust and dirt and sweat.

Slowly he walked towards the park entrance, ignoring the grassy spikes that poked his feet.

He was already walking up the road that ran parallel to the park and let straight onto the street that he lived in, when behind him a girls' voice shouted out: "Oi, you there, boy with no shoes and the newspaper."

He knew that she probably meant him, so he stopped and turned.

It was the group of teens from the park.

Maybe ten boys, half as many girls.

The one that had call out to him was in the lead.

She was uncommonly tall, just shy of seven feet maybe and by the looks of it the oldest in the group, nineteen, maybe twenty?

She had dirty blond hair with pink tips and brown eyes and was dressed in shorts and a tank-top. Several necklaces and rubber bracelets decorated her neck and wrists.

"Yes?" Harry asked, unsure.

The group came to a halt just in front of him.

"You're that kid from Nr. 28, right?" she asked.

She was chewing gum.

Harry nodded. "Yeah, we moved in last summer." He muttered.

"With Remus and Sirius, right?" she asked.

"You know them?" Harry asked slightly surprised.

She shrugged. "They came around the neighbourhood to introduce themselves last fall. I thought they mentioned you but I never saw you until a couple of days ago."

"Yeah, well, I attend a boarding school, got back only a few weeks ago..." Harry said awkwardly, not sure where this conversation was headed.

She nodded.

"Anyway, I keep forgetting to come by and give this to your folks" she said, reaching into her pocket "It's and invitation to Mrs. Henderson's annual summer-barbeque next week." She handed him a paper envelope.

"Right." Harry muttered, taking it. "That all? I really should get going."

"Walk with us, we're headed the same way after all." She suggested.

Harry wasn't too thrilled about that idea but he could hardly say no.

"Okay." He said.

"So what's your name?" she asked as they walked on.

Behind them the rest of the group had fallen back into their own conversation but a few of them were still listening.

"Ahm, I'm Harry."

"Just Harry or is it short for something like Harrison or Hardy or Harold?" she asked.

"Ahm…I think it's just Harry." He muttered.

"Cool. I'm Gina. And these are…" she rattled off a dozen different names, which Harry all forgot instantly.

So he just nodded at the ground and said: "Hey."

He got a few 'hey's back.

They walked the rest of the way in silence.

Harry was glad when they finally reached his house.

"Well, thanks…nice meeting you all." He offered as their group came to a stop.

"You should hang out with us tomorrow. We could show you around if you want."

"Sure, whatever." _Not_.

He couldn't get inside fast enough.

.

Remus was setting the plates outside on the terrace when he entered the living room.

"I'm back." He shouted.

Sirius, who was standing in the kitchen, poked his head through the door.

"Hey kiddo. How was your day?"

Harry shrugged. "Same as always."

Remus stepped inside through the widely opened patio door.

"I saw you coming with some of the kids from around the street. Making new friends?"

He tried to keep the excitement out of his voice but Harry knew that both his guardians were worried about his increasing solitude and reclusiveness.

Harry shrugged. "Not really, they just wanted you to have this" he handed Sirius the letter "It's an invitation for something at a neighbours' house next week." He explained dismissively.

As Sirius read the invitation, Harry dropped his shoes, newspaper and water bottle on the kitchen counter.

"You shouldn't read those things Harry." Remus said quietly upon seeing the front page.

"Nothing I haven't heard them shout in my face before so I'm good." Harry muttered.

He grabbed the bow of salad that stood next to the fridge and brought it outside to the table.

Sirius followed with the pasta.

They sat down and Remus began distributing dinner.

"So about later…" he began casually and Harry knew immediately where he was going with this "Are you sure you don't want to stay with Ron?"

Not looking up from his plate Harry reminded: "Andy said it was fine."

"I know what she said, it's just…Molly says Ron's been asking about you a lot, you hardly reply to letters written by him or Hermione or pretty much everyone else."

"I'll do that tomorrow." Harry replied moodily.

"Harry…" Sirius said warningly.

"Look, I'm going to do it, get off my back." Harry snapped.

"That's what we have been doing for the past three weeks Harry. We've given you all the space you could possible have. But slowly it's becoming a problem." Sirius said curtly, putting his fork down.

"We get that you are in a rough place right now but you can't expect it to get better if you keep shutting everyone and everything out. And I don't like the attitude you've been developing so far. So no, you are not staying with Andromeda tonight, you are staying at the Burrow, you will spend time with your friends and you will write Hermione. A bit company will do you good." His godfather announced.

Harry glared at him from under the fringe of his hair.

"You know what, I'm not hungry anymore." He snarled, pushing back his chair.

"Harry Potter, sit your ass back down in that chair and eat your dinner."

"Make me." Harry hissed, turning on his heel and disappeared upstairs.

Yeah, this summer had been great so far.

.

Ron looked very happy to see him, so happy it almost made Harry feel bad that he had avoided his oldest friend.

Almost.

The evening was alright, they played Quidditch with the twins and Ginny and ate outside but things took a turn when there was a knock on the door.

Next thing Harry knew Cedric Diggory stood in the back door with his father behind him.

Harry hadn't see Cedric since the graveyard.

The cucumber-sandwiches suddenly felt like stones in his stomach.

Cedric looked okay.

A bit tired maybe but healthy.

A reminder that he had managed to push him out of the way just in time.

Cedric came straight at him.

"Hey." the older Hufflepuff said.

"Hey." Muttered Harry back.

With a side glance at the others, Cedric asked: "Can we talk? Alone, I mean?"

"Sure."

Harry let him away a few meters, just out of earshot.

Expectantly he looked up at Cedric.

"I…I'm really glad you are okay Harry." his friend admitted, putting a hand on Harrys shoulder.

Feeling uncomfortable, Harry shrugged it of by crossing his arms.

"Yeah, you know…healers and potions and all that…"

Cedric nodded.

"I…I never got to thank you. You saved me twice. You know, when we were…there." He finished lamely.

"Yeah, I remember." Harry muttered.

Cedric swallowed hard.

"I just…I know you probably don't want to hear it but…I'm sorry I didn't stay to help. I would have, I swear…"

"Cedric, I didn't want you there. You'd be dead if you had stayed. So don't apologize for it." Harry interrupted him.

Cedric looked like he wasn't sure what to say.

"Besides, that's all in the past now." Harry added.

"Well, I also wanted to give you this." Cedric said, obviously trying to change the topic.

From his jacket he pulled a small leather pouch. The sound coming from inside sounded a lot like coins.

"What is it?" Harry asked.

"It's the prize money from the Tournament. Fudge visited me a few days after they'd found you and gave it to me. Said normally there would have been a huge ceremony but considering what had happened they weren't going to do one this time. Anyway, I figured you could use it more."

He held it out to Harry.

"I don't want it." Harry retorted, keeping his arms crossed.

"Besides, I got enough money to last me three lifetimes. Keep it. After all, now that you're done with school you can probably need it. Also, by the rules of the game you won it fair and square. You were the last one back with the cup."

Cedric snorted.

"I really don't need this as a reminder of my worst year at school." He told him earnestly.

"Well, then we have a slight problem. What do we do with the money?" Cedric asked.

"Donate it?" Harry asked with a shrug.

"Yeah maybe. But to whom?" Cedric asked.

A small crackling noise caught Harrys attention.

Across the yard Fred and George were demonstrating some of their miniature fireworks to Ginny and Ron.

The idea came to him almost instantly.

"Hey Cedric, how about we invest it?" he asked.

Cedric followed his line of sight and seemed to get where he was going and grinned.

"Sure, why not."

.

With Cedric and his father gone (boy, that had been an experience. Harry vowed that he would do anything to never have a fully-grown man sobbing into his shoulder ever again. No matter for what reasons. That was just plain awkward.) and the money secretly invested into the twins shenanigans and a new dress-robe for Ron, it was almost time for the secret meeting that Remus and Sirius were attending, to end.

Harry didn't say a word when they, Bill and Arthur Weasley finally appeared around eleven.

He just gathered up his stuff, nodded his goodbye and walked straight through to the fireplace and flooed home.

That could have been the end of a long day but there was a knock minutes later on his bedroom door.

Knowing that Sirius would come in either way he called out: "What?"

As expected Sirius walked in.

"Had a nice evening?" he asked.

"I don't know, had a nice meeting?" Harry asked back.

Sirius let out a long-suffering sigh and sat down on Harrys bed, watching as Harry threw his dirty clothes in the hamper.

"Harry, I know you want to help but right now there's not much you could do. We're gathering allies, trying to convince a few people at a time to strengthen our numbers. You know that."

"But you are also making plans and gathering information. But you won't tell me anything."

"Its sensitive stuff Harry."

"And you really think I'd go around and tell anyone? Like anyone will listen to me. I'm crazy, remember?"

Sirius sighed again.

"Harry, I know its frustrating but you need to…"

"If you say I need to get better first or recover, I swear, I'm going to jump out of that window." Harry threatened.

"You are not fine Harry. Physically you might be, but mentally…"

"Oh, so you too think I'm crazy? Thanks a lot, you can go now."

"Harry, stop. Just stop. Arguing isn't going to get us both anywhere. Just talk to me. You know you can talk to me, right?"

"There's nothing to talk about. I just want to help, what's so wrong with that?"

"You can't help us right now Harry."

"You don't know that."

"Yes, I do!" Sirius shouted, standing back up.

Involuntarily Harry took a step backwards.

Sirius groaned, rubbing his forehead with one hand.

"I'm sorry Harry, I didn't mean to shout…" he apologized "It's just that…"

"I'm useless. Yeah, I get it. Good night Sirius."

Harry turned around, pretending to be busy rearranging some books on his desk. He stayed like this until he heard Sirius get up and leave.

When the door finally closed behind his godfather he turned, fists shaking.

Just great.

.

He was up at the break of dawn again, his clothes so drenched with sweat he had to get up and change them.

Then he sat next to his window, watching the sun rise until it was time for breakfast, during which not a single word was spoken.

He got dressed and walked straight through the front door, not looking back.

His feet carried him almost on their own accord.

"Hey" he said when he got there "Do you mind if I'll join you?"

"Sure Harry." Gina said with a smile.

And Harry smiled back.

.

.

.

.

.

.

 **AN: Welcome to the sequel, if that is what you want to call it. This time we'll be focusing on not only fifth year and what that will bring but we will also come back to Curse-Breaking a little bit more!**

 **To this chapter: Yes, I know Harry is acting like a brat and maybe you'll find it out of character to me it's a logical defence mechanism, which we will dive in more deeply later on.**

 **But this much can be said: Harry is going to change. As already said in the previous chapter, Harry is done playing defence, he wants action he wants to participate and be involved because he's done just taking shit and having to deal with it. So indulge me a little bit more as I keep on writing and explaining, yes?**

 **Ideas and constructive criticism is welcome but no need to tell me how you want to gauge your eyes out because the story is so horrible.**

 **Thanks you so much,**

 **Love,**

 **Kate**


	2. Decisions

Chapter Two: Decisions

Harry stared at the blank parchment paper before him, twirling the quill between his fingers, moving it several times towards the inkpot before stopping and pulling it back again.

Two words stood at the very top but they'd been the easiest to write.

 _Dear Daphne,_

But from there on Harry had struggled with the rest.

He'd gotten several letters from Daphne over the weeks.

He'd only ever answered one and even he knew that was not good.

The last one she had written lay next to him so he put the quill down, picked it up and read it again.

Her first letters had been full of worry and encouraging words.

Then she too had gone down the 'Let me help you' train but now her tone had changed.

" _Harry,_

 _Pick up a damn quill and write me. Or answer my floo-calls. I don't want to get all my information out of second hands._

 _We're a team Harry. We are many things, friends, co-workers, apprentices, students, even a couple. But above all we are a team Harry. And teams don't work like this. We can't be a team if you shut yourself out and keep everybody away. I rely on you. A lot of people rely on you, whether you know that or not. And I know life is unfair and that you sometimes just want to slam the door in fates face and turn your back on it all. Believe me, I've been there. But I didn't. I found you to confide in. And believe me, back then you were the last person I ever thought I'd share my deepest secrets with. But somehow you were the right person. And you helped me deal with my problems and ultimately, you were the solution to my problems as well._

 _You don't have to talk to me or Sirius or Remus or the Weasleys or Fleur or whoever, but you need to talk to someone._

 _I beg you Harry, don't go down that road._

 _You might feel like everybody's against you right now but you have more friends and allies that stand behind you than you might realize._

 _You know we - and be we I mean the entire family and I, will stand behind you until the end of time._

 _Now get your act together and write me a letter and even if it's just about what you had for dinner, I don't care._

 _Love, Daphne"_

He could imagine her sitting at her desk, furiously scribbling these words.

He knew she'd been angry when she'd written it because her usually neat cursive handwriting was a lot sharper and straighter now.

And although she was basically yelling, it made him feel warm inside.

Daphne had always been someone to bring him back to reality, to knock some sense into him.

She was like an anchor that grounded him whenever he felt like he was drifting off.

Not to mention that her family had guarded him while he had been recovering at St. Mungo's.

He'd already written a Thank-you-Letter to Victor but writing Daphne seemed so much harder.

He should be able to confide in her, tell her everything.

Yet he still wasn't sure he could.

But what he could do was answer her.

" _Dear Daphne,_

 _Thanks for your letters, they have been pretty much the only thing that made me smile these past weeks._

 _I'm sorry for not answering more promptly and more often but I just can't find anything to tell you._

 _I'm sorry but don't think it's because I don't care for you or because I don't trust you._

 _You mean the world to me but the things I need to deal with right now are…I don't know, complicated doesn't really explain it all._

 _But I promise, I'll try to do better._

 _How's everything going on your end?_

 _Is Isaac home yet?_

 _Love, Harry."_

There, that should do it.

He leaned back in his chair, rereading the few lines he had written as he waited for the ink to dry.

He folded it neatly, placed it in an envelope and sealed it with some wax.

He gently placed it next to Hedwig's open cage in which his lovely owl was sleeping right now, hidden from the daylight by a thick blanket.

She'd know what to do when she'd wake up. She was a smart girl.

There was a knock on the door.

"Harry? Are you ready to go?" Sirius asked.

Harry frowned. Ready to go where?

"What for?" he shouted back through the door.

"The garden party at Mrs. Henderson's house this afternoon?"

"I'm not going." Harry replied immediately.

"Yes you are, I told you three days ago, we were all going together."

"And I seem to remember that I said that I'm not going." Harry growled.

The door opened and Sirius stepped in.

He was dressed in casual muggle clothing. Blue khakis, a white shirt, sunglasses and flip-flops.

With his neatly trimmed beard and long hair pulled loosely up and his tattoos fully exposed, thanks to a very low neckline and short sleeves he looked more like a rebellious teenager and less like a godfather.

"Well, I say differently" he said, pushing the sunglasses up onto his head "You are coming with us. You're not staying here alone."

"You'll be three houses down the street, besides, with the added warding, you will know if someone tries to abduct me."

"This isn't about your safety alone Harry. It's about you getting out there and getting back into life."

"Voldemort is somewhere out there, planning to take over the world and you want me to go to a garden party?" Harry asked angrily.

"Yes. Because I am worried about you and think that this would do you really good."

"What if I don't want to go?" Harry snapped.

"Well then, though luck, because you are, end of discussion."

Sirius turned and walked straight out of the room, without closing the door.

Harry walked over and before slamming it shut he shouted down the stairs after the retreating figure of his godfather: "Fine, but I'll hate it."

"I don't care, as long as you'll come." Sirius shouted back up.

.

.

And that was how Harry found himself standing in Mrs. Henderson's garden two hours later.

There were maybe fifty or sixty people there, all laughing and talking, sitting or standing all around the huge garden.

Small children mingled around, playing with balls or skipped ropes and chased each other with water-guns.

While the smell of grilled meat was mouth-watering and the huge table with all the side-dishes looked amazing, Harry wasn't really in the mood to eat.

He looked around and found Remus and Sirius standing side by side in big group of people, laughing loudly and he watched as Remus handed Mrs. Henderson a bottle of wine.

How had his life become like this?

"You look like you could use a pick-me-up?" said someone behind him.

"Hey Gina." He greeted her as he turned around and looked up.

He'd hung out with her and some of the other teens around the neighbourhood a couple of times for the past few days.

They were all easy going and had taken him in pretty much instantly, though Gina was the only one he could address by name.

"You look like you're contemplating to make a run for it." She stated.

Harry noticed that she had changed the colour of the tips of her hair from pink to purple.

"Nice hair" he offered and then added: "And well, considering I don't really want to be here…"

She snorted. "Nobody really wants to be here. It's just one of those things you do because society expects it. But don't worry, we've found a way to make this more fun. Come on."

Harry looked over to where Remus and Sirius still stood.

"We're not leaving, right? Cause as much as I want to, Sirius is already mad as hell, I don't need a reason for him to ground me for the rest of the summer." He admitted grudgingly.

"No, we're not. Just follow me." She assured him.

And he did.

As she let him through the gathered crowd, greeting people here and there, Harry's thought wandered to Daphne and if Hedwig had delivered his letter to her yet.

"There we are" Gina announced and stopped.

Harry looked up.

He hadn't noticed it before but in the far back corner of the garden stood a garden shed.

It wasn't really big and all the windows had curtains before them.

"Wow, impressive." Harry muttered.

Gina rolled her eyes.

"Mrs. Henderson's parties are the most boring events of the year. But like you, our parents make us go as well, every single time. The only good thing is: they don't care what we do as long as follow two simple rules. Stay in the garden and stay out of trouble."

"That pretty much what Sirius said to me."

"So we come here to pass the time. Officially nobody knows what we do in here but let's be honest, this is a small community."

Harry frowned. "And what do you do in there?" he asked suspiciously.

She laughed and opened the door.

A wall of smoke hit Harry in the face, stale and bitter.

It took his eyes a few moments to stop tearing so he could make out what was going on inside the gloomy room.

Six or seven teens, all of which Harry knew he had met at some point but couldn't remember their names, sat crammed together inside the shed around a table.

It was hot inside but nobody seemed to really care.

All of them had cards in their hands and on the table lay more cards along with an assortment of round plastic coins, cash, a lot of candy, something that looked like concert-tickets and some other stuff.

"We gamble and we smoke mostly. To pass the time." Gina explained and shut the door firmly behind him.

The others looked up when they heard them.

"Hey, Gina's back, you got it?" asked the guy closest to the door.

From the inside of her neckline, Gina pulled out a silver flask and waved it around so Harry could hear the liquid inside sloshing around.

"Nothing easier that that" she announced as she unscrewed the top "Old man Flanders was already fast asleep. He won't notice I nicked this."

She took a long sip from the flask before she handed it to the boy that had spoken.

"By the way, look who I found outside." She added, pointing at Harry.

Harry waved slightly.

"Hi guys." He muttered.

He was surprised to see them smile.

"Hey Harry!" said one of the girls across form him.

"Come and sit down, you play?" asked another right next to him, patting on the top of the crate she was sitting on.

"Ahm…what are you playing?" Harry asked as he sat down.

"Poker. Have you heard of it?" she asked.

"No, sorry."

"It's alright. Harry and I play as a team!" she announced to the group.

"You can't teach him Ana, you barely understand the game yourself." Protested another boy.

"Eat me John." Ana said, holding up her middle finger with a grin.

"Hey Harry, do you want a fag?" Gina asked from where she had sat down.

"What did you call me?" Harry asked.

Everybody laughed and Gina rolled her eyes.

"I asked if you wanted a smoke." She waved a pack of cigarettes in his face.

"Oh…" Harry muttered, unsure if he should or not.

"Have you ever smoked?" John asked him.

"You should really try it." The first guy by the door added.

Next to him Ana pressed the flask that had been going around the table, in his hand.

"And Mr. Flanders always keeps the good booze in here." She told him with a wink.

A bit overwhelmed Harry took both the flask and a cigarette.

"Well, this is probably not what Sirius meant when he told me to stay out of trouble." He muttered to himself.

Then again, what was safe these days?

So before he could change his mind, Harry put the flask to his lips and threw his head back.

The liquor burned in his mouth and throat but not as badly as Fire-Whisky and it tasted much better.

He handed the flask to the girl next to him while the others cheered.

Ana handed him a lighter before she held up her own lighter and cigarette.

"Here, follow my lead. You light the end like this and suck at the same time so it'll glow. And then you gotta keep sucking because otherwise it'll go out. Oh and don't…"

The smoke, stale and bitter, hit Harrys lunges and he started coughing loudly.

"…inhale it too deeply, just blow it right out." Ana finished as everybody else laughed.

"Sorry, should have warned you." Ana apologized through giggling.

"It takes some practice to not cough up a lung every time." John assured him.

Harry tried again, only sucking slightly and blowing the smoke out almost immediately.

It wasn't half-bad.

"Now you've got it." Gina cheered.

"Are we going to play or what?" asked the boy next to Ana impatiently.

"Calm your tits Aaron." Ana said, nudging him in the side. "I've seen your cards by the way, don't know what you're so happy about."

Aaron reddened slightly and pressed the cards in his hand against his chest.

"Shut up." He muttered.

The boy by the door laughed.

"You're not better Shaun, you count cards!" Aaron complained.

"Alright, that's enough." Gina interrupted them. "New round!" she announced.

Harry watched as she began dividing the pile of plastic coins and all the other things on the table between them while the boy next to her began shuffling the deck of cards.

"So Harry" asked the girl next to Gina "How do you like it here so far?"

Harry shrugged. "It's okay. Better than where I lived before."

"Where did you live before?" she asked promptly.

"Ahm…Surry." Harry replied.

"I heard it's rather nice there." The girl offered.

Harry shrugged. "Maybe."

"And I also heard you go to a private school?" she continued asking.

Gina rolled her eyes.

"Yes Madeline, he does, like he told us the other day. There are no secrets and no gossip for you here."

"Au contraire mon l'amie, there is a lot to get from him. So…the question that has been burning under my nails for months now…Remus and Sirius…they are a couple, right?" she asked, leaning forward in anticipation.

Harry laughed. "Remus and Sirius? A couple? No, they are just friends."

"Are you sure?" Madeline asked.

"Maddy, I think he'd know it best. He lives with them." Shaun pointed out.

"But he spends most of his time at that boarding school of him. Maybe he just doesn't know that they're smooching booties."

"Ew, Maddy, you are disgusting." Aaron muttered.

"Why, do you have something against gays?" Maddy asked him challengingly.

"No but do you have to call it 'smooching booties'? Just call it by its name, sex!" Aaron said.

Harry put up his hands. "Okay, nobody is having sex in our house." He called out.

"Nobody, that's sad." Ana giggled.

"Oh really?" Madeline asked, one eyebrow raised high. "Ms. Bedfordshire from Nr. 20 agrees with me."

"Ms. Bedfordshire is an even worse gossip than you." Ana objected. "She thinks everyone around the street is having an affair with someone. The only one not getting any is Ms. Bedfordshire herself!"

"But she is right about Remus and Sirius, right Harry?" Madeline asked.

"Well…I think I'd know…" Harry began but didn't quite know how to continue.

"See, Harry has lived with them for years, he'd know…" Gina added.

"Well…not years…" Harry admitted "Only since last summer."

"See, maybe they haven't felt comfortable yet telling him!" Madeline shouted excitedly.

"Why only since last summer?" the guy next to Aaron asked.

Harry hesitated. Who could he possible explain that? He really didn't want to mention that Sirius had been in prison for twelve years.

"Ahm…" he began but Gina cut in before he could say anything: "Hey, Boyle, that's a rather personal question, knock it off."

"Oh really, that's personal but asking if Remus and Sirius are fucking is not?"

"Alright, how about we change the topic!" Ana suggested.

"Yes please." Harry begged with a nervous laugh.

"Well, if they actually are a couple, I want to know." Madeline said firmly.

"You'll be the first, I promise." John muttered.

.

.

Harry was surprised how much he enjoyed himself for the rest of the afternoon.

After that rather awkward beginning things had loosened up and he had managed to doge the more difficult stories and made up believable lies about the rest.

Now it was early evening and while the grown-ups were still eating and talking and in some cases heavily drinking and the smaller kinds were still playing, Harry had stepped outside the garden shed for a few minutes to catch some fresh air.

Behind him the door to the shed opened and Gina stepped out.

"You okay?" asked, slight concern in her voice. "I hope we didn't drive you away. Madeline is an old gossip, just ignore her." She explained, sitting down next to him.

"Naw, it's fine, I just needed some fresh air and something to drink." Harry explained.

His gaze fell on Sirius, who was handing Remus a glass of wine.

The werewolf smiled widely at the other man as he thanked him.

"But she does have a point. They're cute together. And Sirius is hot!" Gina whispered.

"Urgh, now I'm picturing it, thanks Gina!" Harr groaned and buried his head in his hands.

Gina just laughed. "Hey, I'm just stating a fact."

They sat in silence for a few minutes, watching the gathered people.

"So…why do you live with them and not your parents?" Gina asked as she lit a new cigarette.

Harry sighed.

"You don't have to tell me." She added quickly. "But…I get it. I don't live with my parents anymore as well."

Harry looked at her surprised. "Why?" he asked.

She snipped away the burnt part of her cigarette.

"Well, they treated me like shit so social services took me away and put me in the system. I was seven. My chances of being adopted got smaller the older I got but when I was ten my current family adopted me for good after three years of bouncing between foster homes."

Harry stayed silent.

"And…I don't know…you got that same look I used to have when Boyle asked you why you'd only been living with Sirius and Remus for a year. You've been in the system too, haven't you?"

"Not exactly" Harry said slowly "My parents died when I was just a year old. I was put in

with my aunt and uncle but they weren't really happy about it…" he explained, trailing off at the end.

Gina nodded. "I see…so how did Remus and Sirius get into the picture?" she asked.

"Sirius is actually my godfather. But he…wasn't allowed to take care of me. I actually didn't know about him until I was thirteen. Anyway, my aunt and uncle got fed up with me and kicked me to the curb. Sirius jumped in and took over as my guardian. Remus, like Sirius, was a good friend of my parents and he helped us a lot. After losing his job Sirius told him to stay with us. And that's basically it."

"That is messed up." Gina agreed.

"Yeah but I'm much happier now than before. The Dursleys, that's my aunt and uncle and cousin, were assholes. Being able to attend a boarding school was like a blessing. And Sirius and Remus…they are good people…"

She offered him a cigarette which he willingly took.

"But you're not getting along right now?" she guessed.

"I've…I've just been dealing with a lot this past year." He mumbled.

"Does it have anything to do with this?" she asked, tapping the inside of her lower arm.

Reflexively Harry looked down at his.

The scar from where Wormtail had cut him with the knife to get his blood stood out against the skin of his arm.

It was long and about as wide as his pinkie finger and still red.

It shouldn't have scarred that badly but the healers had explained that it was a 'cursed scar', similar to his lightning-bolt scar on his forehead because it was the result of a dark ritual.

It would always be there. It would fade more in time but he would have it forever.

Another mark from Voldemort.

"It's okay Harry, I know."

She held out the inside of her left arm, revealing a tiger-tattoo to him.

"A tattoo?" he asked confused.

"Touch it." She just said.

Gently Harry let his fingers travel over the tigers' outline.

Where the black stripes of the tiger were, he felt bumps and rough uneven skin.

And the closer he looked, the more he could see the scars hidden underneath the ink.

"I too was in a bad spot and…did this…" she explained with a shrug. "But I'm better now. I got this last year so it wouldn't constantly remind me of that time."

"It's not like that…" Harry began, understanding what she had done.

"You don't have to explain it to me Harry. I get it. You're in a bad place right now too. And they" she nodded over to where Sirius and Remus stood "are trying to help but you don't know how to handle your own thoughts and emotions and they…well they mean good but you don't really feel like they understand. You still have secrets and you're not sure how they will react. So you keep them out, trying to deal with it on your own. You…you don't want to seem weak." She whispered quietly. "Am I right?"

Harry stared at the ground, staying silent for a long time.

"I'm sorry if I overstepped my boundaries." She added after he still hadn't said anything.

"No…no, it's…" Harry began but stopped, throwing his head back with a groan. "You are right…in a away…It's just…there are a few things I'm not sure I can tell them and…I just feel stupid now but…I made a mess and…they are already knee-deep in it involved and I just…I just wished they'd stop treating me like a child and…I don't know it's complicated."

Gina nodded.

"Yeah. I know. I'm not saying I understand your exact situation but I get complicated."

"So what did you do?" he asked with a groan.

"Honestly…I found out talking was the only thing that helped. Get rid of everything that could create conflict, be honest and…just tell them. They love you. You said it yourself, Sirius rushed in to take you in. You don't do that for just anybody."

Harry stared at her and shook his head.

"What are you, some kind of mind-reader?" he asked.

She laughed but then got serious again.

"I know a lot of kids like you and me. I…I lost my best friend because I didn't recognize the signs sooner. I vowed to myself that if I could help prevent others from going down that path, then I would. I overcame my demons, now its my job to help others do the same."

"Thank you." Harry said honestly. "A friend of mine told me I had to find someone to talk to. But I didn't know whom to talk to." He admitted.

"Sometimes outsiders are a good choice because they are not involved and have a neutral perspective on the matter." She explained.

"Yeah…I guess so."

"You're not going to get through this alone Harry. Whatever it is. So go on, talk to your them" She said encouragingly "It's a better way of venting than this." She gestured at both their arms.

"Yeah, maybe." Harry muttered, grinding the stump of the cigarette against the stone.

"Good, oh and find out if they are gay, we have a betting pool running and we'd like some answers soon!" she added with a wink.

Harry groaned again.

"You are impossible." He told her.

Laughing Gina got back up, dusting the dirt of her shorts.

"Come on, let's go and have something to eat, I'm starving." She said, pulling him back to his feet.

.

.

It was already dark when Remus came over to them.

Harry, Gina and Ana had taken to one of the beer-benches and were eating and talking when he approached them.

"Hey kiddo, it's time to head home, Sirius has a meeting tomorrow morning and I got a few errands to run as well so we have to get up early." He said, putting a hand on Harrys shoulder.

"Sure, I'll be along in a minute." Harry said quietly.

Remus nodded and left and Harry turned back to the two girls.

"Well, I guess I'll see you around." He said.

"Sure will." Ana said.

"See you tomorrow Harry." Gina added.

Harry waved them goodbye before making his way over to the house, where Sirius and Remus were already saying their thanks to Mrs. Henderson.

"Oh, so you are Harry, I've heard a lot about you." She said when he approached.

Harry shook her hand.

"Only good things I hope." He asked.

"Oh yes." She said with a wink.

"Well, thank you for inviting us. Have a lovely evening." Remus said.

"You too, get home safe." Mrs. Henderson said, waving after them as they walked down the front stairs.

As they walked, Sirius and Remus took Harry between them.

"Did you have fun? I saw you talking with the other teens." Sirius asked.

"Yeah, their alright." Harry muttered, rubbing his arms. The evening had brought a cold breeze.

Without asking Sirius put his own jacket over his shoulders.

"Thanks." Harry muttered.

It was warm and smelled of old spice and tobacco.

It was a short walk home and when they stepped inside Harry made a decision and turned to face his godfather.

"Do you mind if I use the floo to make a quick call?" he asked.

"It's kinda late, who do you want to call?" Sirius asked hesitantly.

"Just Daphne." Harry answered, shrugging slightly.

"I guess that's okay." Sirius said slowly, looking at Remus for help, who just shrugged his own shoulders.

"It won't take long." Harry promised.

"Go ahead kiddo, we'll go and get ready for bed while you call her."

"Thanks Sirius."

.

Harry waited until their steps had left the stairs before he knelt down in front of the fireplace.

Tossing in a handful of the green power and holding his face right into it, he said loud and clearly: "Greengrass Manor, Daphne Greengrass."

The flames roared higher as he waited for her to reply.

It didn't take long for the green flames to be replaced by the interior of a bed-room.

Daphne knelt in front of him, dressed in a night-gown, rubbing her eyes.

"Harry?" she asked sleepily.

"Hey Danny, sorry, did I wake you up?" he asked guiltily.

"No, I wasn't asleep yet" she muttered before smiling and saying: "By Merlin, it is good to see your face. I got your letter today. It made me really happy."

Harry smiled. "Glad to hear it. I'm sorry I ignored you. I shouldn't have." He whispered.

She shook her head. "Don't. I understand. As long you keep getting better, that is all I care for."

"Yeah, about that, it's the reason why I'm calling. Sirius…he's trying so hard to help. But I feel I can't talk to him because he doesn't know everything. He doesn't know how deep I am involved in all of this. None of them really do except maybe Dumbledore and he's not a real help at the moment."

"So what are you saying?" she asked.

"I think that if I could tell him _everything_ , it would be easier for me and for him."

"And by telling him everything, you mean including Isaac." she stated, understanding where he was going with this.

Harry nodded. "I can't keep lying to him. I don't have the strength to do it and if I want him to trust me I have to give him a reason to do so. Also…there is so much going on and I'm tired of the secrecy. It's what got me in most of these messes. I just…" he shook his head.

"Even I don't know how to explain it." He admitted.

"Hey, that's okay. I get it. You've been dragging our secret around for a long time now. If you think Sirius should know…then he should know! If you think it'll help you then I'm all for it."

"Thank you." He whispered gratefully.

"So how do you want to do it?"

"Can you talk to your father for me? And if he says it's okay…maybe have him invite Sirius over for dinner so we have a reason to come over? Then, we tell him? Together?"

"I'm sure that can be arranged. When?"

"I know that they're free tomorrow evening…"

"I'll talk to my father. Don't worry Harry."

"I don't. I know I got you by my side." He admitted.

She laughed. "Yeah, I'm really the only thing keeping you alive."

"You really are. I can always count on you to find a solution."

"Don't you get to sappy with me mister." She said playfully. But then she smiled softly and added: "I really look forward to seeing you. I missed you."

"I missed you too. I'll see tomorrow hopefully."

"Till tomorrow." She agreed.

"I really do love you." He added, blushing slightly.

"I know. I really do love you too. Now go to bed."

"Yes ma'am."


	3. The truth will set you free, said nobody

Chapter Three: The truth will set you free…said nobody ever!

Harry was sitting by himself inside a red plush chair in one of the back rows of the local theatre while Madeline and John were rehearsing on the stage below.

They were performing at some local event tonight and had invited him along to the rehearsal since he wouldn't be able to make it to the actual show.

As he sat there and listened with one ear to his friends singing and playing the guitar and banter in between, Harrys eyes kept drifting to the clock on the wall to his left.

It was huge, like almost as wide in diameter as he was tall and at the end of each hand sat one of those theatre-masks, the weeping one on the hour-hand and the smiling one on the minute-hand.

Right now, it was almost four in the afternoon.

They had been here for almost four hours.

That would explain why his bottom was so sore.

Behind him one of the double-doors that let into the room opened and Harry turned to see who it was.

It was Gina, her hair now an atrocious blue colour that probably would make Mrs. Holmswood from Nr.16 faint, while dressed in a short white dress.

She was also barefooted and carried a small purse with her.

She slid into the seat next to him.

"Hey Harry." She greeted him quietly, not to disturb their two friends down on the stage.

"Hey Gina." He replied, smiling at her.

"Sorry I'm late. Had to run down to the store to grab a few things for my mum."

"Naw, it's fine." He whispered, looking back at the stage where Madeline and John where dancing while singing.

"Yeah, John already texted me, telling me you can't make it tonight. What's up with that?" she asked, not accusingly but curious.

Harry had to supress a snort.

What was up that this morning, among all the usual letters and notifications Sirius got every day, there had been a note from Victor Greengrass, inviting them to dinner that night.

Harry, who had been expecting this message, had tried to act as inconspicuous as possible. It had taken a little bit of convincing on his side but in the end, Sirius wrote a reply back to Victor, saying they'd be delighted to come.

After that Sirius had left rather quickly for a Wizengamot meeting and Harry had opted to go out and meet up with some of his new friends, rather than stay in the house.

He'd wandered the streets for an hour, trying to come up with a plan for the night, a way to try and tell Sirius and Remus the whole story, including Deatheaters, Dumbledore's plan, Isaac Greengrass and their raid on Malfoy Manor and everything that was connected to it, all the things he knew and had known. But after and hour he had given up and joined his friends in the theatre.

But instead he told her: "As you already know the past year has been…troublesome for me, in many aspects and…there are things I can't and don't want to tell you. But basically I'm taking your advice and will come clean about a lot of things to Remus and Sirius tonight. The secrecy is just getting to much but also…there are things happening and before the shit really hits the fan and Sirius finds all these things out about me…I'd rather tell him myself. He deserves that much at least. After everything he's done for me, going out of his way to take care of me when I was at my lowest..." He mumbled.

She took his hand and squeezed it.

"That is a brave and mature choice to make." She said earnestly. "I hope it will all go well." She then added.

"You and me both. I'm… I am sacred it will backfire on me. That they will be disappointed and angry or…I don't know, might trust me less than they already do." He muttered.

"Well, they will be angry. And sad and yes, maybe even disappointed. But that is only normal. But they will also understand. That I am sure of. And believe me, afterwards you will feel much better." She assured him.

"But what if it doesn't?"

"Harry, if all you ever do is to catastrophize over what could be, you'll never be happy. Ever heard the term 'self-fulfilling prophecies'? Its when you try to avoid something so badly that in doing so you cause the event to happen. That's what you are doing. You think only of all the ways things can go wrong. If you go in with an attitude like that you can't expect much!" she whispered and for good measure she gave him a slight slap on the back of his head.

"Okay okay, I'll be more positive." He muttered, edging away from her.

"Good. Now get going, its already late. And tomorrow we'll meet and you tell me how it went, okay?" she asked.

"I will, thanks Gina, you are the best."

"I know." She said with a grin.

.

.

Sirius looked rather haggled when he stepped out of the fireplace but his weary expression changed as soon as he saw Harry sitting on the ground before the coffee-table, doodling on a piece of parchment paper when he was supposed to write an astronomy essay.

Star-charts littered the table and the ground as well as several books and reference-cards.

"Oh look, it's me." Sirius said jokingly, pointing at one of the maps.

"And there is me again." He added, pointing at a different map.

"And there is Andy." Harry said with a slight smile.

Sirius laughed. "At least we were lucky with the names. I had a great-aunt or something whose name was Ursa."

"Like the bear?" Harry asked.

"Exactly like the bear. She then had a daughter and named her Ursa Minor."

"Poor kid." Harry laughed.

"Your grandmother, Dorea Potter-Black, wanted to name you 'Eridanus'. That's some kind of river into which a dead god once fell or something."

Harry shook his head. "I'm glad mum and dad decided to call me Harry. I can't see me as an ' _Eridanus'_."

"Not to mention it sounds too much like 'Anus'." Sirius added.

"Your mind was the only one that went there." came Remus' reply from the kitchen. "Now get your head out of the gutter and go get changed, we are leaving soon." he continued, wiping his hands on a towel.

"Yes dearest." Sirius said with a roll of his eyes.

Harry snickered.

"You too young man. The Greengrasses may be your friends but that doesn't mean you can show up in jeans and t-shirt." Remus addressed him.

"Thomas has literally seen me covered in mud from head to toe and so has Daphne. I'm sure there are pictures somewhere. I really don't think they would care." Harry muttered but got up nonetheless.

"Well, you're not in the jungle anymore so go and get changed."

.

.

.

.

At exactly seven that night Harry, with his family by his side, arrived outside the gates that let to Greengrass Manor, dressed in his best dress-robes and nervous as hell.

The gates opened and one of the servants appeared, escorting them to the house where three more servants waited to take care of their coats.

As they left the foyer and entered the reception-room, a double-winged door to their right swung open and Daphne rushed in to greet them.

Harry had barely time to brace himself before the flung herself into his arms, much like Hermione had done, almost knocking him of his feet.

He manged to stay standing and embraced her as well.

There were no words needed.

Everything that had to be said was said in that one embrace.

Every apology, every understanding word, every reassurance, it was all there.

Finally, they let go and wiping a single tear away, Daphne smiled at him and said: "Hi."

Harry smiled back. "Hi to you too."

Someone cleared their throat behind them.

"Daphne, while I appreciate you greeting our guest so warmly…perhaps you could still…control yourself a little bit more?" asked an amused Victor Greengrass.

Daphne blushed.

"I'm sorry father." She apologized.

While she greeted Remus and Sirius, Harry walked over to Victor.

"Harry, how good to see you." The older man greeted him warmly in a lowered voice.

"Thank you for agreeing to this."

Victor smiled. "I told you Harry, I stand behind you. You are family now. And there is nothing more important than family."

"I know…but with everything that your family had go through already…" Harry trailed off.

"That doesn't matter now." Victor stated firmly.

Then louder he added: "Well, I'm glad you accepted my invitation."

Sirius walked over to them and put a hand on Harrys shoulder.

"Well, there was no reason not to come." He said friendly.

"Come this way. The others are waiting for us in the longue." Victor explained, gesturing towards the double-doors that let down, deeper into the house.

"Who will be joining us tonight?" Remus asked as they followed their host.

Daphne reappeared at Harrys side, taking his hand into hers.

He squeezed it appreciatively.

"Oh no worries, I wasn't going to invite the entire family, no, that would have been chaotic. It'll be just my brothers- and sisters-in-law and their respective others and my children."

"And that's still a lot of people." Daphne piped up.

Harry laughed. She was right. After all, she had two older brothers and two younger sisters. Adding to that her three uncles and two aunts with their husbands and wives, they were already close to twenty people.

They reached another pair of double-doors that Victor pushed open confidently.

Harry had never been in the longue but like the rest of the house this room was dominated by its high ceiling and a window front on two sides of the room. From here you could practically see the entire estate at once.

Fife chandeliers hung from the ceiling, each bigger and heavier that the last.

Sofas, armchairs and several chaiselongues had been placed around the room in small groups around fire-pits in the floor.

The floor was made of stone as well, unlike the wood that ran through the rest of the house.

On the remaining two walls hung two impressively large paintings that almost took up the entire space.

Other than that, the room was simple and without much décor.

Milling around where the aforementioned members of the Greengrass family.

Thomas stood closest to the door with a glass of wine in one hand.

Next to him stood his wife, a woman Harry had only met once very shortly during the Gringotts party.

She was young, like Thomas and they hadn't been married long yet.

On the closest couch sat Daphne's younger sisters Astoria and Jessica.

Astoria had just finished her first year at Hogwarts but Jessica was only nine as Harry recalled. Two more years for her then.

They were giggling and playing with two grey kittens.

Overseeing them were Daphne's aunt Lucinda and her husband Damion.

Again, Harry had only met them once after their little raid on Malfoy Manor.

Standing by one of the windows was Elijah with his other sister Desdemona and her husband Ajax.

Ajax was a healer at St. Mungo's who worked mostly with kids. He'd been one of the healers aside from to Rashid, who had cared for Harry after the third task.

Not that Harry remembered much of that…

Elijah's wife, Alana Greengrass, was nowhere to be seen but from what Harry knew about the woman she was quite a busy person so she might not have made it tonight.

That left Daphne's brothers who stood next to one of the fire-pits.

Alan had just finished Hogwarts while Jonathan had been finished for three years now, mostly spending his time traveling.

Harry had never met the elder of the siblings and Alan had been a quiet person at school, going unnoticed by most.

Like their sister they were tall and blond and blue-eyed but that was where the similarities ended. With their square shoulders and big hands, they resembled their uncles more.

Harry didn't see Isaac but he would have been surprised if he had.

They all looked up when they entered.

Harry was relieved to see them all smile welcomingly.

Thomas, who was closest, greeted him first.

"Harry, my man, it is good to see you again!" he smiled widely, shaking his hand tightly.

Harry remembered that Daphne had told him in one letter that Thomas had been part of the guard to protect him while still recovering in the hospital but he could barely remember that as well.

"Thomas, it's good to see you too. It's been a long time, what have you been up too?" he asked.

"Oh Harry, so much! I have to tell you about my trip to Peru later!" Thomas said excitedly. "Just so much: Mummies!"

"I'm looking forward to it!" Harry assured him with a laugh.

"This is my wife, Anastasia. I don't think you've met before?" Thomas then asked.

Harry took Anastasias hand and lightly brushed his lips against he knuckles.

"I think we saw each other briefly at the How last winter. But you kept hogging her time and attention all night that nobody really got the chance to speak to either of you." He said with a smile.

Anastasia laughed. "Yes, that is true." She said, playfully swatting at Thomas's arm.

"That is because I cannot get enough of you." Thomas admitted to her.

"Urgh, get a room." Said a new voice and Harry came face to face with Daphne's brother Johnathan.

"Really, those two…" he said with a shaking head before holding out his hand to Harry.

To his surprise, Johnathan didn't shake his hand but instead clasped his lower arm.

Harry automatically returned the gesture.

"Good to finally meet you Harry" Johnathan said and added with a side glace at Remus and Sirius who were greeting Elijah at the moment "And let me personally thank you for what you have done. And also: We are behind you. We understand what happened and what you are going through and why you are here tonight with your family. We're here to help. Family is important to us and you have become more than just an honorary member of the family. You are our brother."

Harry flushed from all the praise and muttered: "Anytime. Thank you."

One after another the various Greengrasses approached and welcomed them and like Johnathan they expressed their gratitude over and over.

After that things grew lighter and everyone resumed their conversations while drinks and little snacks were served.

Sirius and Remus fell right in and joined the talking while Harry stayed close to Daphne.

They sat down on one of the couches next to the window-front and Harry took her hand, needing it to anchor himself, to prepare him for what was to come.

She squeezed his hand reassuringly and said: "You're doing the right thing Harry. Secrets always have their prize, believe me I know that very well by now. It almost cost my family everything. It almost cost me you."

Harry studied her face for a few moments.

"You have no idea how good it is to see you in person. I'm sorry I was such a dick to you these last weeks. But…I don't know I needed a break from everything magical. But I've come to realize that we won't be having any breaks anytime soon from now on. Not anymore."

"We'll all make due." She promised him.

"Yes" Harry agreed before he added: "Hey let's talk about something else for a change. At least while we still can."

She laughed. "Good idea. Anything in particular?"

"How's your training going?" Harry asked.

Daphne's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree and she started telling him all about her sessions with Rashid and her training hours at the Academy.

"How come you're not there anyway?" she asked once she had caught him up.

"Am where?" Harry asked.

"At the Academy. Normally during the holidays, we have classes and training sessions and stuff like that at least twice a week."

Harry nodded. "Ah yes, right. Argentum visited us while I was still in the hospital and said that due to the circumstances I didn't need to attend the summer program, at least not completely. I'll have my first lesson in two weeks. But it's not to bad because I was ahead in my studies before all this shit broke lose so I'm not that far behind and the practical work has never been the problem for me."

She nodded. "Well, I look forward to seeing you there." She admitted. "You've been cooped up in that house of yours and we hardly got to see you at all this summer."

Harry sighed.

"I know, but… I…I had to remind myself that there was a world out there where everything Voldemort…doesn't actually exist and…It helped to view things from a bit farther away. Which is part of the reason we're here tonight. A new friend helped me with that."

"That's good to know. I feared you were alone."

"I'm never alone. I have my friends."

She pecked him on the cheek and he smiled.

Just then a servant entered the room, announcing politely that dinner was about to be served.

Harry held out his arm and Daphne linked hers with his and he escorted her towards the door.

Unlike the lounge, Harry had actually been in the dining room before though only briefly and only while passing through.

Also at the time it had been dark and he had had three broken fingers and no idea where he was.

Good times.

The dining room was just as grand as any other room in the mansion but simple, with only a very long table in the middle, lined by comfortable chairs.

The plates and the cutlery were very elegant and the table was tastefully decorated.

Daphne's father took his seat at the head of the table.

To his surprise he motioned for Harr to sit next to him on his right side, a place normally reserved for the guest of honour or important people.

Sirius and Remus were seated next to each other while Daphne sat across from Harry.

The others all too took their places and seconds later the first course appeared on their plates.

Conversations resumed and Harry actually enjoyed himself, catching up with Victor and Elijah.

"How's Isaac?" Harry asked in a low whisper as he cut through his steak.

"He's adjusting just fine but social gatherings take a lot out of him so we told him to sit this one out. Not to mention we didn't want him here when we get to…you know the more sensitive part of the evening." Victor explained.

Harry grimaced. "Good thinking." He mumbled.

"But he's doing really good. He recognizes more and more people every-day and the mind-healers have told us that the wall in his mind is settling in nice and is holding good."

"So he doesn't remember anything?"

"Well, not directly. It's more…a feeling to him. Do you know the feeling of dreaming, then waking up and not being able to remember what happened? It's like that for Isaac. At least that's how he explains it." Elijah tried to explain it.

Harry nodded.

"We try to answer his questions best we can without revealing to much."

"What about people outside the family? Is anyone there giving you much trouble?"

Victor snorted into his wine.

"Not really. In the eyes of the general public this tragic story came to a happy end and to those that caused us trouble…well they have what they wanted so they don't really care anymore. Even if we revealed the truth…it's only a matter of time before the Deatheaters make an appearance on their own. After all, now that the Dark Lord is back there's no reason for them to hide much longer. Whatever nefarious plans they have, they will work on those and I don't think Isaac is much of a risk to them now." Elijah muttered.

Harry sighed. "So it's neither good or bad news?" he asked.

"Yes." Victor said.

"Let's try to take on one problem at a time." Daphne cut in, reaching across the table to take Harrys hand.

With a sideway glance at Remus and Sirius who were talking with her aunts and uncles, she whispered: "We'll deal with whatever the Deatheaters are planning once we've dealt with your family and got them in on everything, so hopefully we'll have more people on our side to help us fight those fanatics."

"Speaking of that…they have been going to meetings every other night these past weeks, meetings where Dumbledore apparently gathers everyone who knows about what happened and who wants to help fight Voldemort while everyone else is turning a blind eye on it. Do you know anything about that?" Harry asked. "Because they won't let me come or know about anything they talk about. It's really annoying. I gave them my memories of the night in the graveyard when Voldemort came back but since then...nada. They make up excuses why they have to leave so often but I know when they go to these meetings."

Victor and Elijah looked at each other with raised eyebrows.

"From what you are telling me, it sounds a lot like Dumbledore called on the members of the Order of the Phoenix." Elijah muttered.

"The members of what now?" Harry asked confused.

With a wary glance in his godfather's direction Elijah explained: "The Order of the Phoenix was a group founded by Dumbledore during the first war with the Dark Lord. We weren't part of it but Isaac was. It's a group of people most loyal to Dumbledore you could say. You parents, Sirius and Remus, Frank and Alice Longbottom, Mad Eye Moody, the McKinnon family, as well as Peter Pettigrew and many others were members."

Harry stared down at his plate, frowning.

"What are they? An elite fighting force?" he asked.

But before any of them could answer Sirius interrupted the conversation.

"And what are you whispering about?" he tried to sound playful but his voice was strained and the expression around his eyes tight.

"Oh nothing in particular, I just told Harry the story about Diana and Lily and how they became friends. I think you're in it as well, aren't you Sirius?" Elijah said with an easy smile.

Sirius grimaced. "Don't remind me." He muttered.

Remus leaned forward on his elbows.

"I for one would like to know that story as well. I only know the version James told me years ago but I'm quite sure it's not entirely correct."

"I'm sure he left out some details." Victor nodded.

Then he turned to Harry and said: "You see, your father was quite smitten with your mother early on. He tried to impress her in their second year at Hogwarts with a fourth-year spell. As you can imagine it didn't quite go as he had planned and he accidentally cursed Diana, who simply happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, to speak in rhymes for an entire day. Sirius thought it was quite hilarious and taunted her until she cursed him to only speak in donkey-noises for a week. Your mother, feeling sorry for Diana, spent an entire day and night in the library and came up with a counter-spell for Diana and from there on they became friends over their mutual dislike for your father and your godfather."

Harry laughed softly. "Oh, I can imagine that." He admitted thoughtfully.

"So that's how it went. James told me Severus had done that to you."

Sirius snorted. "Oh please, the old bat couldn't have cursed me back then even if I had been blindfolded and had stood with my back to him."

"Are you talking about Professor Snape?" Daphne asked with wide eyes.

The slightly panicked glances between Sirius and Remus were answer enough but Sirius still tried to deny it.

"Ahm…no…of course not, that would be…I mean, yes…I mean no, maybe, I mean…"

"I think it's best if you just shut up Sirius." Remus said kindly. "You're just making it worse."

.

.

By the time the last course had rolled around and they were all sated, Harrys nervousness had eased slightly but it came back full force when Elijah nodded at his sisters pointedly.

Desdemona nodded ever so slightly before putting down her wine-glass and announcing to the whole table: "Well, as fun as this has been, it's getting rather late. I think we best be on our way."

Lucinda nodded, taking her husbands hand. "Us as well." She said simply.

"You too girls." Victor said with a pointed look at his two younger daughters. "It is way past your bedtime. Johnathan, Alan, please escort your sisters upstairs and to bed. Anastasia, be a dear and make sure they do."

They all bid their farewells until the only people left were Victor, Elijah, Thomas, Daphne, Harry, Remus and Sirius.

"Well, I guess we'll be on our way the too." Sirius said.

"Nonsense, please, stay for a little longer. Why don't we head over to my study and enjoy some Firewhiskey there? I'm rather enjoying our conversation." Victor offered charmingly.

"Oh please Sirius, can't we stay a little longer?" Harry asked, taking Daphne's hand over the table.

"Well…I guess an hour more make a difference. After all, it's the summer holidays." Sirius relented with a slight smile.

All Harry could think was: 'An hour is not going to cut it.'

.

.

Sitting in Victors office brought back all kinds of memories to Harry.

From first finding out who his mysterious attacker from Diagon Ally was to planning the raid on Malfoy Manor with the two men and Dobby right here.

That had bee almost a year ago.

For one year he had carried this secret around. And tonight…it would be all revealed. All the lies the scams, the deceptions and the secret plots, it all would come to an end tonight.

Victor waited until Sirius and Remus had both taken a few sips of Firewhiskey before he spoke.

"Sirius, Remus, I must admit that I wasn't completely honest with you tonight." He said with a sigh.

Sirius tilted his head slightly. "How so?" he asked.

But it was Harry who answered.

"I asked him to invite us." He said silently.

Sirius frowned. "Why would you do that?" he asked confused.

"Because I needed and excuse for us to come here. There…there are things we need to talk about. Things that involve the Greengrasses as well. It's complicated and a bit confusing but…it'll explain a lot. About me…they reason why I have behaved and acted the way I did and still do. And it all has to do with Cambodia."

"Harry…I still don't understand…" Sirius whispered slowly.

"You will…hopefully. Just…just listen, okay? You said I could always talk to you. Well, this is me talking."

Remus put a hand on Sirius's shoulder and Answered for him.

"We'll listen cub."

Harry nodded faintly before clearing his throat.

"Alright, I guess it all began a year ago in Cambodia. Do you remember how I told you that we'd been attacked by Deatheaters in the underground cave-system? Well…turns out one of the attackers was Isaac Greengrass..." he began.

And so he explained.

How he had found out about Isaac, his confrontation with Victor in Diagon Ally, about finding out the truth about Lucius Malfoy blackmailing the family, about devising a plan to rescue Isaac and then actually rescuing Isaac. He told them about the battles, the injuries, the fear and pain, about their little white lie to the public and Isaacs recovery.

He told them about how long the Deatheaters had been planning to resurrect the Dark lord, first with the help of the Philosophers Stone, later with the ritual in the graveyard.

He told them about his short confrontation with Lucius Malfoy at the Quidditch World Cup and how he'd seen Barty Crouch Jr. later on with Ron and Hermione.

He spoke of the dreams he had had since Cambodia, long before Voldemort had come back, about the dark mansion, the old man and the green light and how those dreams had continued all year long but never drawing the connections until it was too late.

Victor and Elijah added here and there a few things about their perspective and mostly about Malfoys blackmailing. They also threw in a lot of praise about his actions but Harry cared little for that.

His eyes never left Sirius as he talked.

Sirius stayed calm throughout the whole story, only asking a few short questions then and there.

His face was dark and his mouth a thin line.

Harry feared what would happen once he was finished.

And then he was and there was nothing left to say.

The truth had been revealed.

"So…that's it…that's the whole truth. Now…now you know. You know everything." He finished with a whisper.

It was silent in the room.

Silent except for the fire crackling in the hearth and the drumming of summer-rain on the windows.

 _When had it started to rain_ , Harry wondered absentmindedly.

He focused again on Sirius, who had leaned forward on his place on the couch, his elbows resting on his knees, his hands pressed together his the tips of his fingers resting against his lips.

He wasn't looking at Harry.

He wasn't looking at anyone actually.

His eyes were closed and he was taking deep controlled breathes as if he had to force himself to stay calm.

Not a good sign.

Finally he opened his eyes again and asked silently:

"Are you sure?"

Nothing in his tone betrayed any kind of emotion.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked carefully.

"That you have told me the entire truth."

It was only his years spent repressing his emotion in the presence of the Dursleys that kept Harry from flinching.

Because he hadn't told Sirius everything.

He hadn't mentioned Narcissa and his sort-of-deal with her.

But he didn't say anything.

Sirius suddenly stood up and strode across the room towards the windows.

He stopped there and stared outside.

Nobody quite knew what to say.

Seeking help, Harry looked over to Victor.

"I know all of this must be hard to digest. And if you are wondering why Harry is only telling you now, it is because I asked him to. Isaac was still recovering and before the Triwizard Tournament he was still a hot topic in the press and we just wanted to protect him. The less people knew the truth, the safer he would be."

Sirius turned around and glared at him.

"Are you now?" he turned to glare at Daphne "I bet this was your plan all along when you found out Harry was gonna come with you to Cambodia. Have someone else clean up the messes you've made" and then he looked back at her father and uncle "I can't believe you dragged him into this."

Victor nodded solemnly. "You are right. And I'm sorry for dragging Harry into this. I didn't just put him at risk, but also many others."

"He didn't drag me into anything Sirius. I chose to put my nose into matters that didn't concern me. Like I always do."

That last sentence was meant as a joke, to loosen the tension in the room but it didn't work at all.

"You think that is funny?" Sirius asked coolly. "Do you think its funny that I spent all my waking time worrying about you? That the entire past year has been hell for me? That this summer has been even worse? While I worry about you staying alive, you sneak around behind my back, purposefully putting yourself at risk?"

"That's not what I was doing Sirius. I was trying to help!"

"AND SEE WHERE IT GOT YOU!" Sirius shouted.

An even heavier silence descended upon the room.

"At first I thought your desire to help and protect was a wonderful selfless thing to do. But now…now you are just so egoistical Harry! You don't think about others at all. Sure, you try to help but you don't stop to think about what that does with the people in your life and I don't just mean me. I mean all others that love you and care for you. Like the Weasleys, Hermione, Remus, the members of your team and so many others. Like me."

"I wanted to protect you all. I didn't want to drag you into my messes. I thought I could keep you out of it all especially. Not because I don't trust you or because I don't care. I did it because I care! And I'm telling you now because I care. Things have been getting out of hand and I don't want you to get hurt by my stupidity." Harry interrupted him.

"It's a bit too late for that, don't you think? You think you have to do it on your own and that you are the only one capable of doing things..."

"I don't think like that!"

"You know that in that way you are a lot like Dumbledore? You always complain about him leaving you in the dark and doing things for the greater good but in the end, you do the same thing. You take on the responsibility for every single life around you and try to do everything alone and still wonder why things still go bad."

Sirius shook his head.

"I mean, did it ever occur to you that maybe we've been fighting this fight much longer than you and that we know what is going on and that we want to stop Voldemort as well? No, it didn't, because you are still a kid but you feel oh so grown-up. I know with everything you've been going through these past years, you kind of think that it's your job to safe everyone. But it's not your job alone!"

Harry jumped to his feet.

"Yeah, I can see the overwhelming support! Like, just open the newspaper and you'll read all about it! Oh wait, no you don't because nobody wants to believe me. Where was all that support then? All those people that you claim want to help, where were they when the press was slandering my name?" He hissed.

And then he added: "And you're not much better. I know you keep going to these meetings with Dumbledore. Stop hiding them form me. I know you make plans about stopping him. I gave you all the information I had and yet you still treat me like a child. I'm not a child Sirius. And maybe I'm not a grown up either but what other choice do I have? He keeps coming after me and I've never been able to rely on the grown ups for help. So yeah, maybe I felt discouraged, maybe that is the actual truth. Maybe I have lost faith in the people around me because whenever I needed them before, the only people who stuck by my side were Ron and Hermione. Children like me, as you say. Children nobody ever listened to, even when we turned out to be right. And yet you wonder why I don't come running to the closest grow up everytime I have a problem. Maybe it's because I know they'll never listen so I don't bother wasting my time. And together we prevented more disasters than you can imagine. But go on, keep saying I'm selfish. Because maybe I am. But is it selfish to want to life past your teenage years? And I don't care if you don't believe me that I actually did it for you. I don't care if you don't understand my reasoning. I'm done explaining myself to everybody. I'm done waiting around. I'm taking initiatives and I had planned on doing it with you. I had hoped you of all people would look past my age and instead focus on my abilities and the things I've done in the past. I was never a child Sirius. From the moment I stepped into this world I was The-boy-who-lived. I have been destined to fight, I was born to fight. And maybe it's not the life I would have chosen, and yeah maybe its not fair and all that. But recently I have learned the hard way that whining isn't going to get things done. I'm done waiting for others, I am done being told what I can and cannot do. Nobody cared for what we said before. I'm also done being helpless. I am trying to embrace my role as someone who fights. And I understand that you don't like that. Because you still see me as James's son, you still think of me as the cute little baby you gave a toy broom for its first birthday. You hardly know me from beyond then. And you don't understand how I have become like this. And that's okay. We're still strangers to each other Sirius. But what matters right now and the reason we're here having this discussion is the fact that I need you. I want your help. I know that I have made mistakes and I should have made the first step and been more upfront with you but what matters is that I am trying to do just that right now! I'm not saying _forgive and forget_. I'm saying please try to understand me."

Harry stopped to take a deep breath.

His heart was beating wildly.

"I mean…you of all people should know what it feels like to be different, not to be able to trust anyone and what it feels like to be all alone."

Harry closed his eyes, suddenly shivering.

"I really appreciate everything that you have done for me and trying to be my family. And you have done wonderfully. I just never had a family. And I…I try to trust you and I keep telling myself to be better for you. But there is this side of me that…that doesn't want to let you in because…because people have kept on disappointing me for so long that I don't even expect differently anymore and try not to get my hopes up. I'm sorry, you deserve better but…this is who I am. And I want to keep doing this. I want to help, I simply cannot turn my back on someone who needs help. I wish I could but…" He trailed off, unable to put in words.

"…but you feel like you have too because nobody was ever there for you so you try to be there for someone else." Sirius whispered slowly.

His shoulders were sacked and he looked like all energy had left him.

Harry hung his head.

"I know that I am a terrible person. You, Remus, the Weasleys, so many people have been so nice and fore coming and yet I still…I still don't trust you."

Sirius sighed, rubbing his face with his hands.

"Merlin, what a mess." He sighed.

An awkward silence followed.

Finally Elijah cleared his throat.

"Maybe I'm not the best to listen to right now but: I think everything Harry did was brave, courageous and righteous. Yes, maybe it was also stupid and reckless at times and there is a lot he has to learn. But from what I have seen, Harry has grown in many ways and a lot of obstacles that were thrown in his path would have brought men five times his age, experience and knowledge to their knees. I also think that he is right about not being a child. Harry is a soldier, as much as it pains me to say it. But I also think Harry is a leader. He has an important role to play in the wars to come and to keep him in the dark is foolish and dangerous to his life. He needs to be prepared and he needs all our support. I know it's easier to close your eyes and pretend that there is still time. But there's not. Voldemort and his followers are coming. It's only a matter of time. And when they do Harry will need us and we will need Harry."

He stopped, looking around.

"I know emotions are running high right now and…a lot has been revealed tonight, many of which might have been long overdue. But you are a family. And families fight and say hurtful things but…they can always come back together. You have to want it though. Do you want it Harry?"

Harry nodded. "Yes. I said I never had a family. But I always wanted one. And I want you to be a part of it Sirius. You and Remus and Ron and Hermione and Daphne and so many others. I'm sorry for hurting you. But I'm not sorry for what I have done." He muttered, sinking back onto the couch.

"And you Sirius?" Elijah asked.

Sirius was silent for a few seconds.

Seconds, in which Harrys hopes sunk faster than a boat taking on water.

But the he looked up and he had tears in his eyes.

"I'm sorry I failed you Harry. I thought I could do this, I thought I could go back to those happier times when your parents were still alive. It was foolish and naïve of me to think so. You're right, I tried to put my head in the sand and made you feel like I was just like anybody else who had ever let you down. I swear, I will try to change that!"

"You didn't let me down. You were amazing. I wanted to believe that lie too. I wanted you to be happy after everything that you had to go through because of me."

Sirius slowly approached him and knelt down before him, taking his hands into his own.

"Harry please, remember form now on: No matter how big the mess seems, four eyes see more than two. I want to be there for you. I want to protect you, I _need_ to protect you. You are my life now and if anything happens to you…I couldn't deal with that. But I also understand now that I can't stop you. Maybe it is your destiny to save us all. Who knows. I don't care as long as I can be there by your side and help you, okay?"

Tears welled up in Harrys eyes.

"How can you not hate me?" he asked desperately.

"Harry, there's nothing you could ever do could make me hate you. Yes, you've made some stupid and reckless decisions and I'm sure as hell not thrilled about any of this but…everything you did came from the good of your heart and I cannot condemn any of it. I probably would have done the same to be honest. But like I said…as long as you from now on know that I will be there for anything…I can forgive you, if that is what you need from me."

"Harry, I think deep down we already know that you are meant for great things…what kind of great things we don't know but like Elijah said, there is trouble on the horizon and we're not gonna let you face it alone. None of us. Maybe we have yet to earn your trust but I promise you…we will always listen to what you have to say. We will not dismiss you and we will try to help in any way possible." Remus added slowly.

"Thank you." Harry whispered. "You…you have no idea what that means to me."

"I'm just glad you're back to your old self kiddo. You had us worried there these past weeks. I know it's been hard. With the press and all and the Crouch Jr. thing and…and all of it but…we've just been so worried about you. But now that we can see the big picture…I understand pup." Sirius said gently.

"It's been really hard." Harry agreed, his voice thick with emotions.

"I think that is enough for one night. Thank you for listening to Harry." Victor spoke up.

"I'm not sure if I should thank you or punch you." Sirius growled.

"Padfoot, please don't…" Harry began but Sirius ignored him.

"You dragged my boy into all sorts of danger and secrecy. How could you?"

"Sirius it was my decision, I wouldn't let it go. Victor offered me to walk away. I insisted on staying."

"He's right Harry" Victor interrupted him "We still allowed you to come. We should have tried more but I admit we were desperate at the time. Sirius, I apologize. My family owes your family a great debt. If there is anything I can do to repay it, we will, no matter the cost."

Sirius stared at him through narrowed eyes.

"Be sure to remember that." He simply said.

"Alright, I think that really is enough" Remus intervened "I think we better be going. Thank you for your hospitality. And thank you for looking out for Harry."

"He's family." Elijah said simply.

.

Daphne escorted them to the front door.

Once there she hugged Harry tightly and whispered into his ear: "I'm so proud of you. You did the right thing."

He hugged her too and whispered back: "Thanks for standing by me." and then gave her a quick peck on the cheek.

They let go of each other and Harry followed Remus and Sirius outside.

"I'll see you soon." Daphne called out after them.

"I look forward to it!" Harry promised with a smile before falling into step with godfather and uncle.

Sirius put on arm around his shoulder and pulled him closer to his side, quickly pressing his lips against Harrys scalp.

"My fight is your fight."

"Does that mean I get to come to the meetings?" Harry asked.

Sirius hesitated, exchanging looks with Remus.

Then he looked down and Harry could see him coming to a decision.

"We meet again next week. I will talk to Dumbledore" seeing Harrys expression he added "And even if he says no, I'll just take you next time."

"You promise?" Harry asked, knowing very well that he sounded like a small child.

"I promise. No more secrets. For real this time."

Harry hesitated.

"I…I have one more secret. I didn't want to talk about it in front of this Greengrasses." He admitted.

Sirius narrowed his eyes.

"Can you…can you tell me?" he asked.

"Yes…but not today. I…I need clear something first." Harry whispered.

For a second he though Sirius would be angry again.

But then he nodded.

"Okay. Thanks for being honest Harry."

Narcissa better be answering his message!

.

.

.

.

.

 **AN: Yes, no need to crucify me, I know I am terrible. I hope you enjoyed this rollercoaster of emotions and are still able to follow the story.**

 **More soon, this time for real.**


	4. Cold and Fear

Chapter Four: Cold and Fear

Harry sat once more on one of the swings, his bare feet scratching at the dirt while the last sunlight warmed his back.

He almost smiled at the sense of Deja 'Vue that overcame him. Not too long ago he had sat here like this, reading the newspaper spreading lies about him.

Today there was no newspaper. Sirius had taken it with him to work that morning.

The other difference being that a few weeks ago he'd been a lot more angry, sullen and hurt.

Today he felt a lot better.

Someone sat down on the swing next to him.

"Hello stranger. I haven't seen you at all this week."

The tone was playful but there was a concerned undertone.

Harry managed a weak smile.

"Sorry. I have been…preoccupied. These past days have been…eventful."

That was an understatement.

Sirius, Remus and he had spent the past five days talking a lot about pretty much everything.

A lot of it was about getting to know each other for real and understand each other and clearing the air between then so to speak.

It hadn't been easy and there had been a few arguments but none like the one at Greengrass Manor.

They had also talked about the war.

There was no denying that there would be one.

So they had sat down and talked about possible training and expectations and rules and stuff like that.

Remus and Sirius hadn't told him much about the Orders doings yet, for one because they were under oath not to tell outsiders and until Harry could become an insider there wasn't much they could reveal. But hopefully that would change soon. As a sign of good will and faith, Harry had even allowed Sirius to restore the Trace onto his wand after telling him that Victor had removed it last summer once more.

Between all that there hadn't been much room in the week for anything else.

.

"So…how did it go then?" Gina asked as she started swinging back and fore.

Harry shrugged. "Initially not so good. But now that the dust has settled and we can talk more civil with each other again…Pretty good all things considered."

"That bad?" Gina asked with a cringe.

Harry shrugged.

"Sirius and Remus listened and got mad alright. We shouted a bit at each other, everybody said a few bad things and then we apologized to each other…I really think it cleared the air between us. And I feel so much better to be honest. They know and…and I don't feel like I'm alone anymore. I have someone to share this…all of this with and they accepted it. Best of all is…they understand. At least they are beginning to. I didn't realize until now how…alone I really was and how overwhelming it all seemed but now I feel like with them by my side, really by my side…I can do this." He whispered.

She reached over and squeezed his shoulder.

"Well done Harry." She whispered back.

"All thanks to you." He added, looking her straight into the eyes.

"You would have figured it out eventually. All I did was nudge you in the right direction."

"That friend you lost? She would be so proud." He said honestly.

He eyes misted over ever so slightly.

"Thank you."

They sat in silence for a while.

"Where's everyone else?" Harry asked, changing the subject.

"At John's place. I was headed there when I saw you here. I figured if you wanted to talk, you wouldn't want to do so in front of a whole audience."

He smiled.

"If you want we can head over there and join them." She suggested.

"Yeah, sounds like fun." He admitted and stood up, stretching his back.

"Awesome. Come on, lets hurry, before all the good food is gone."

"Yeah, hold your…" Harry sat to reply but stopped when an icy cold feeling ran down his spine.

A sudden cold wind made him shiver and overhead the sky started to darken, black clouds pushing themselves before the setting sun, shrouding everything in sudden darkness.

"Oh no, looks like it's gonna rain." Gina noted, just seconds before the first raindrops fell down.

Within moments the rain grew from a slight drizzle to a torrent of water crushing down on them.

"Let's find shelter and wait out the worst of it!" Gina shouted over the sound of gushing water and grabbed his hand, dragging him across the already soaking wet playground-sand towards the jungle-gym.

The jungle-gym was shaped like a pirate's boat and the hull was open on both ends, forming a sort of tunnel. From inside you could climb through it upwards towards the deck and the bridge but right now it served as a great shelter.

They took cover in the hull, kneeling down since they were both too tall to stand upright, Gina especially.

They moved further inwards when the wind changed the rains directions, battering it inside the tunnel as if mother nature was determined to flush them out of their hiding spot.

It was gloomy in here and Harry could barely see.

He shivered, the thin shirt and pants he was wearing were soaked and clung to his skin.

"I'll try and text John to let him know we'll be late." Gina said, fishing for her phone.

Its screen lit up the darkness around them slightly.

"Damn it, no connection found." She sighed seconds later.

"I'm sure it'll be over soon…" Harry began but stopped when a sudden cold and dark feeling crept over him yet again.

The hairs on his neck stood up on end and a sense of foreboding overcame him.

He carefully rose to his knees, mindful not to bash his head on the low ceiling and squinted into the darkness outside.

Despite it only being late afternoon, it was dark as night outside.

The rain was deafening and the hollow shape of the boat amplified it.

Suddenly, Harry felt cut off from the outside world, even though the next houses couldn't be that far away…

But the rain and the blackness of the sky robbed them of all sights.

He felt Gina take his hand. He could barely see her but she must have sensed something as well because she whispered: "Harry, I don't like this…"

Neither did Harry but he couldn't exactly say why.

"Move further into the tunnel." He urged her. He didn't dare raise his voice above a whisper.

On their hands and knees, they crawled further into the pirate's ship.

The rain made the air smell like wood and mildew and sand and old paint.

"Do you think someone is out there?" Gina asked.

Remembering the cold feeling and how in the past his gut had always been right about impending danger, Harry shrugged and said: "Maybe. I…I just have a funny feeling…"

The 'funny' feeling suddenly intensified and it grew into a numbing cold and fear started to spread through Harrys system like poison.

He knew that feeling.

He'd always recognize that dreadful combination.

"Harry? Are you alright?" Gina asked, using her phone to look at him.

"Gina, put the phone away!" he whispered, his throat closing up.

"What? Why?"

"Gina, just do it! And be still!" he whispered.

It was one of _them._

But how…how was that possible? This was a predominantly Muggle neighbourhood and even if it hadn't been, they should never be able to leave their island except for certain exceptions like prison transport!

But Harry knew the how was secondary or the why. What mattered more was getting out of here alive.

Gina opened her mouth to say something again but Harry shook his head and whispered: "We have to get out of here!"

He could feel his wand burning in back of his jeans. Why, oh why had he allowed Sirius to put the trace back on it?

But even without it, performing magic in front of Muggles was illegal.

But was it, even when their lives were in danger?

No time to think about it.

The feeling of dread and fear and cold reached its peak and Harry thought he saw something move outside in the rain. A tattered black robe maybe?

"Run!" he whispered.

.

.

.

Maybe it was the terror in his voice or something in his eyes. But Gina didn't question him.

She just did as he'd told her.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

They didn't even make it to the end of the tunnel.

As soon as they started crawling towards the other end a dark hooded figure descended upon them from nowhere.

Gina let out a shriek that was cut short by the sound of her choking.

"GET AWAY FROM HER!" Harry bellowed at the Dementor, frantically searching for his wand. But before he could find it a second Dementor appeared, grabbing him by the throat and pushing him backwards, away from Gina.

Its touch was revolting, very much like everything else about it, cold and hard and unforgiving.

And then, suddenly, Harry was back in the graveyard and Voldemort stood over him, his snake-like face contorted in a disgusting sneer.

" _I'm going to kill you Harry Potter."_

Cold sweat ran down Harrys back.

 _ **Its not real**_ , he tried to tell himself, _**this is just the Dementor feeding off your worst fears and memories**_ **.**

Through the haze of torturous memories Harry faintly heard Gina's weak whimpers.

"Mommy, no please mommy, I promise I'll be good!"

Her whimpers disappeared as another memory pulled him under.

 _Burning hot pain coursed through his veins as the gleeful voice of Voldemort laughed menacingly above him, repeating the incantation over an over._

" _Crucio. Crucio Harry Potter. Feel the pain. Crucio!"_

 _ **You lived through this. This is just a memory. A memory can't hurt you**_. The little voice whispered fiercely in his ear.

He resurfaced in reality again, gasping.

The dementor was right there but Harry felt so weak.

In a meagre attempt to evade his kiss, Harry turned his head away from the approaching hood.

And his eyes landed on Gina again.

She seemed drained, her eyes glassy and unfocused.

She shivered and moaned as if in pain.

"No…June, no…please…please don't die. I'm sorry. This is all my fault! June!"

Her broken voice, so full of fear and despair cut through Harrys own pain and for a second his mind was clear.

And that was all he needed.

He balled his hand into a fist and punched the Dementor straight into its hooded face.

The feeling was like nothing he'd ever felt before. It was like punching ice, cold and hard and painful. His skin burned but he ignored it.

The creature reeled back and Harry moved instinctively.

His hand found his wand and a new memory took place in his mind.

It was the faces of his truest and best friends, Ron and Hermione, sitting and laughing with his in the common room at Hogwarts.

The memory fuelled his inner fire and the incantation fell from his lips easily.

" _ **EXPECTO PATRONUM!"**_

Prongs was magnificent as always as he jumped into existence from the tip of his wand.

In the tight space of the tunnel he glowed even brighter and appeared taller than usual and without hesitation he charged right into the Dementor hoovering above Harry.

The Dementor let out an otherworldly scream and vanished.

"THIS WAY!" Harry bellowed and directed Prongs towards Gina.

The other Dementors mouth was almost touching her lips. Gina was shaking uncontrollably, her eyes rolling in in their sockets, drool running down from the corner of her mouth.

Prongs smashed his antlers into the Dementors chest, lifting it up and threw it away.

It too disappeared into the night.

Ignoring his Patronus as it started to dissolve, Harry crawled towards his friend, fear and dread pooling in his stomach.

Gina wasn't moving.

Harry pressed his shaking fingers into the side of her neck, staring intently at her chest, hoping, praying, to catch a sign of life.

His trembling fingers finally detected a pulse, weak but it was definitely there.

The adrenalin that had fuelled him seconds ago into saving them both, ebbed away and Harry found himself kneeling on wet sand in the middle of a playground with a friend that was barely conscious, more like close to death, and no plan as to what to do.

"Gina? Gina, can you hear me?" he whispered, his voice shaking just like his fingers.

She rewarded him with a weak moan and Harry nodded.

"I can work with that." He whispered, pushing himself to his feet.

"Don't worry Gina, I've got this."

He bent down, reaching with one arm under broth her arms and grabbed his own arm with his other hand.

With a secure grip on his friend Harry started dragging her out of the shelter and back into the open, ignoring his throbbing right hand.

The rain had stopped but the dark clouds remained.

Once they were outside, Harry stopped to take a breath.

Just dragging Gina's giant frame out of the tunnel had been hard enough.

He'd never carry her anywhere.

But he couldn't leave her here either!

Remembering her phone Harry reached into her pocket and pulled it out.

The screen was cracked and when he pressed the buttons nothing happened.

It probably broke during her struggle with the Dementor.

He put in back and sank back down on his heels.

"Shit, shit, shit." He muttered.

Below him in the sand, Gina moaned but didn't really wake up.

She was shivering though, like him.

They needed to get out of the cold and somewhere warm and find someone who could help Gina.

But how? He'd already used his wand once tonight, he might as well do it again. Maybe he could message Sirius?

But who knew how long it would take Sirius to come and find them?

No, Gina needed help right now.

As he feverishly thought of a way to get them out of here, he remembered something.

He didn't know where this memory had come from or why now.

But he remembered something.

When he'd been in his third year in elementary school, he had gotten in trouble because while running away from Dudley and his gang, he had jumped behind a dumpster and landed on the school roof.

Back then he had had no explanation as to how that had been possible.

But now he knew.

"I must have apparated. Or at least something similar." He whispered to himself.

A crazy idea formed in his mind.

"Maybe I can do it again…" he mumbled.

Of course, Harry knew about the risks of apparating without proper training but…Gina needed help. And she needed it fast.

He gathered his friend in his arms and held her as tightly as he could, squeezed his eyes shut and tried to imagine a safe heaven.

The Burrow was the first thing that came to his mind.

A tingling sensation filled his hands and feet but it ebbed away again.

"Come on." He groaned, trying again.

This time the tingling filled both his arms and legs but again nothing happened.

"COME ON!" Harry shouted, frustration getting the better of him.

The tingling intensified and suddenly he was tugged away with Gina in his arms.

He didn't remember the flight. It wasn't like apparating, that he knew. It didn't feel like being squeezed through a tube. Instead it felt as if all his molecules were dissolving, travelling loosely in a huge cloud through the air….

But the memory vanished from his mind almost immediately.

The landing he did remember.

It was rough and jolted his bones.

Before him the Burrow rose high but Harry had no time to celebrate the successful journey, because to his great dismay its windows were all dark and no smoke rose from the chimneys.

It was almost as if nobody was home.

"RON! RON, FRED, GINNY…ANYONE…GEORGE! PLEASE!" he shouted as he hoisted Gina higher, holding her tightly. She was pale and her breathes were laboured.

"RON! RON, IT'S ME, HARRY!" he shouted again.

But nothing happened.

Harry supressed a curse, trying to keep it together for Gina's sake.

He closed his eyes again, thinking of home, thinking of Sirius.

But Sirius wasn't home.

He was at one of those blasted meetings with Dumbledore and his Order of the Phoenix.

But he needed him. He needed his godfather right now.

Because this was something he couldn't fix himself.

The tingling came back and then it whisked him away again, Gina in his arms.

Again they landed rough but this wasn't where Harry had envisioned himself.

Though he did recognize the worn wooden floor, the dark walls and gloomy portraits on the wall, he was still confused.

Until one particular painting started shrieking the second his knees connected with the hard-wood floor.

"Blood-traitors, Mudbloods, traitors, filthy creatures! Get out of my home!" the portrait of Walburga Black wailed.

Harry, still in a slight stupor stared at her in disbelieve.

How had he ended up at Grimmauld Place of all places?

He got his answer when the door straight ahead of him burst open and several people he knew rushed towards him, wands at the ready.

But they came to a sudden stop when they saw him there on the floor.

Harry guessed he must have made a pitiful sight, all wet and dirty, clutching the body of an unconscious girl to his chest.

"Harry?" Mr. Weasley asked astonished. "Good heavens boy, what are you doing here?" he asked but even before he had finished, Dumbledore and Sirius had muscled past him.

"Harry?" Sirius asked, hurrying towards him but stopping a few feet in front of him.

There was turmoil on the stairs and Harry spotted Ron, the twins, Ginny and Hermione.

They too came to a stop when they saw him.

"Harry? Mate, is that you?" Ron asked, both worried and surprised.

Harry stared at him, then back at the grown ups who were all staring back at him.

But then he remembered Gina and all he could say was: "Help her."

To his surprise it was Mrs. Weasley who reacted to his request.

She pushed past everyone else and knelt down next to them.

"Harry, dear, what happened?"

Harry looked at her, not knowing where to start.

"Dementors." He finally managed to say.

That finally seemed to break the spell.

Sirius swiftly knelt down next to him.

"What do you mean Dementors?" he asked.

"I…I promise I'll explain but please, can someone please help Gina? It didn't kiss, her I managed to fight it off. But it…it fed of her. She's hurt I think!" he whispered.

"Of course honey. Don't worry, if she wasn't kissed, she'll be alright. We'll take care of her." Mrs. Weasley said kindly.

She brandished her wand and Harry felt Gina's weight lift of his legs but he was still holding her.

"Harry, let her go, Molly will take good care of her." Sirius promised.

Most unwillingly Harry let go of his friend and watched as Mrs. Weasley gently guided her floating body upstairs.

His gaze fell momentarily onto his friends before his sight was blocked by some of the other grown-ups.

"Harry, what happened to you hand?" Remus asked.

He somehow had appeared by his side and was inspecting his right hand.

"I punched one of them in the face." Harry muttered numbly.

Now that he saw his hand under light he wished he hadn't looked.

His knuckled were split and bleeding but more concerning was the black colour of his skin where his fist had made connected with the Dementors body.

Sirius and Remus pulled him to his feet, guiding him past the stairs and through the gathered people into the living room.

He didn't know most people but he heard their murmurs.

"Punched a Dementor? Kids got spunk."

"I'm more concerned with the girl he brought here. Is she a muggle?"

"Is he alright?"

"How did he get through the wards though?"

"Did I hear him right? Dementors?"

Harry was gently pushed down onto a sofa and Sirius sat down next to him.

In the sudden bright light of the room, Harry eyes hurt and he closed them.

He was shivering wildly but Sirius must have noticed because seconds later warmth enveloped him and his clothes dried.

He sighed with relieve.

"Harry? What happened?" Remus asked.

"We…we were at the park and…just talking and…Then it suddenly got dark and it started to rain and…we took shelter but then these two Dementors came out of nowhere and attacked us and…I fought them off but she was…I had to take her somewhere safe, I went to the Burrow first but nobody was there and then I…I don't know…I didn't plan on coming here!"

Some part of his brain knew that he was rambling so he took a deep breath and tried to organize his thoughts.

Something wet touched his hand and it burned and he hissed, pulling back his injured limb.

"It's okay Harry, just some essence of dittany." Sirius muttered.

Finally, Harry opened his eyes to see Sirius sitting on the sofa next to him while Remus carefully dripped a yellow substance on his knuckles before wrapping it up in a bandage.

They were otherwise alone in the room, for which Harry was grateful.

He sagged against the cushions and shook his head.

"What the actual fuck? Did this really just happen?" he muttered.

"Language Harry." Remus reminded him.

Harry opened his eyes which he hadn't realized had closed again.

"No, I mean it, what the hell! Dementors? In London? What's next? Mermaids in the Ministry? Dragons in Gringotts?"

"I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation." Remus said soothingly though his eyes were dark with anger.

There was a commotion outside the door.

"What now?" Sirius muttered just as the door burst open and most of the Weasley kids as well as Tonks and Hermione came barrelling into the room.

"Harry, mate, are you alright?" Ron asked but was pushed aside by the twins.

"Awesome entry mate!" Fred said with a grin.

"Yeah, real dramatic with all that 'saving-the-damsel-in-distress" and all that hero stuff, real classy!" George added.

"Leave him be! Merlin, you are so tactless. He and his friend were just attacked by Dementors!" Ginny protested.

"Didn't we tell you to stay outside?" Remus interrupted her, hands on his hips, his tone a mix of exasperation and defeat.

"Yeah, Tonks, didn't we tell you to _keep_ them outside." Sirius added with a pointed look at her pointedly.

Tonks held up her hands. "I made no such promises!" she declared.

"Who cares" Hermione interrupted impatiently "Harry, are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Just…tired and…this isn't exactly how I imagined my day would go." Harry muttered.

"Did you really punch a Dementor?" Fred piped up.

"Yes." Harry nodded, holding up his bandaged hand.

"Awesome." Fred said solemnly.

"Okay, you've seen him breath and talk now go back to your rooms. Harry will be along shortly." Remus ordered them sternly.

It took a few minutes a lot of muttering and three more stern words from both Remus and Sirius before Harrys friends finally returned upstairs.

For which Harry was secretly glad.

Remus went and fetched a bowl of soup for Harry to help with his still slightly frayed nerves.

Harry was about to swallow the first spoon-full of soup when the door opened and Dumbledore walked inside, followed by Kingsley, Bill, Moody, a couple of people Harry didn't know and…Snape!

What the…

Sirius must have been thinking something along the same lines because he got up and placed himself between Harry and the gathered Order members.

"Not now Albus. He's just been attacked by Dementors."

"Allegedly." Snape sneered.

"Proven." Sirius hissed back.

"Peace my boys. I just wanted to make sure Harry was alright and find out how this attack was possible." Said Dumbledore in his most grandfatherly voice.

Bill pushed past them and crouched down before Harry.

"You okay?" he asked in a low voice, searching Harrys face for signs that he wasn't.

"Of course he's not okay Bill, he almost had his soul sucked out by Dementors and watched the same thing almost happening to his friend." Moody growled.

"But how is something like that even possible?" Bill asked, straightening back up.

"Yeah, I've been wondering about the same thing. Who the hell was on guard duty tonight?" Sirius asked angrily.

"Guard? What guard?" Harry asked but was ignored.

"Please Sirius, no need to shout." Dumbledore said calmly.

"It was Dung." Kingsley offered helpfully.

"And where in seven hells is Mundungus?" Remus glowered.

Sirius was about to add something when the door was flung open yet again.

"Merlin's beard, what is it _now_?" he growled.

It was a barn-owl that came swoshing in through the door, just barely avoiding crashing into the low hanging chandelier.

She was carrying a letter with a familiar seal in her beak.

She dumped it next to Harry before vanishing again.

Harry stared at the letter and its seal.

Shit. It was from the Ministry.

Before anyone had a chance to react, the letter started to shake, then rose into the air and the loud voice of a woman began echoing from within it.

" _Dear Mr. Potter._

 _The Ministry has received Intelligence that of six twenty-three this evening you have performed the Patronus charm in the presence of a Muggle._

 _As a clear violation of the decree for the reasonable restriction of underage sorcery you are hereby expelled form Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry._

 _Hoping you are well,_

 _Mafalda Hopkirk."_

Silence in the room.

Then: "You got to be kidding me."

Harry looked over to his godfather.

"They're not serious, are they? They can't expel me, it was self-defence! Gina and I would have died if I hadn't done something. They can't expel me for that!"

He then turned his head towards the headmaster.

"Right?" he asked, both angry and unsure.

"No, they cannot my boy. Don't worry, I will go to the Ministry first thing tomorrow and sort this out." Dumbledore assured him.

"I'm coming with you." Sirius growled.

"No! The last time you two went there together you had a shouting match with the Minister of Magic and had to be restrained by five Aurors. I'm going!" Remus objected.

And then more calmly to Harry he added: "Don't worry Harry, we will clear this up. You'll be back at Hogwarts come September first."

"Oh sure, take care of Potters messes, teach him that there are no consequences to his actions." Snape sneered from the side-lines.

Sirius gave him an evil eye and growled threateningly: "Just because I allow Dumbledore to conduct his meetings here and you happen to be a member of this organisation does not mean that I won't throw you out of my house if I feel like it."

Snape sneered. "Don't bother Black, I was leaving anyway." And with that he turned on his heels and left.

Harry took another deep breath, put the bowl of soup aside and stood up.

"I want to see Gina." He announced.

To his surprise no one objected, not that he would have cared if they had.

"I'll call Poppy, see if she can come over and help Molly out." Arthur Weasley suggested before hurrying off.

"And I think we can continue our meeting tomorrow. This is enough action for one night." Dumbledore said, addressing the remaining people still gathering in the room.

Agreeing murmurs went through their rows and one by one they took their leave.

"Go check on your friend Harry, we can talk tomorrow." Remus said encouragingly.

"Thanks." Harry muttered but before he could leave Sirius grabbed his shoulder.

"And you are sure you are alright?" he asked, checking Harry over once more.

"I think I really need to sleep right now and…deal with all this tomorrow…" Harry admitted, gesturing around them as he did.

Sirius nodded.

"Go on then."

.

Mrs. Weasley had brought Gina to one of the many unused bedrooms on the second floor.

Harry found the right door after three wrong ones.

The room was lit in a dim warm light and Mrs. Weasley had transformed Gina's wet and dirty clothes into more comfortable pyjamas, and tucked her in.

But even dry and clean, Gina was still paler than usual and her blue hair stood in stark contrast to her skin.

But she was breathing and although she was a sleep she looked peaceful.

Mrs. Weasley looked up when he entered.

"Hello Harry." She whispered and rose form the chair in which she had been sitting.

She wrapped her arms around him in one of her famous hugs and Harry melted into it.

"She's alright." She assured him, still holding him.

"Thank you." Harry whispered back before gently pulling from her embrace and walked over to Gina's bedside and sat down next to her.

"Poppy is coming over and will replace the bad memories of what happened with good ones. She won't remember a thing and everything will be like it was before."

Harry gently took Gina's right hand and turned it until he could see the tiger tattoo on the inside of her forearm.

Gently he traced the scares underneath the colour.

"Are you sure there will be no lasting side-effects?" he asked, remembering her whispers as she relieved her worst memories. No doubt had the last one been of her friend who had committed suicide a couple of years ago as a result of depression and self-harm. Gina didn't often speak about it but Harry had a feeling it had changed her quite a bit and he was worried that opening up these old wounds could affect Gina in some bad way.

"I'm not a mind-healer or a healer in general. But from what I observed after Ginny…" Mrs. Weasley continued but stopped herself halfway through the sentence. But Harry knew what she had been going to say.

After Ginny had been possessed in her second year at Hogwarts, Arthur and Molly had spend a lot of time and money on a specialised healer at St. Mungo's to help Ginny deal with that traumatic experience.

"From what I know, the mind is a fickle thing and easily influenced. She won't remember consciously. But it might have left a slight imprint on her subconsciousness. She might have a few nightmares but it's nothing that will affect her permanently."

"I hope so." Harry whispered, pulling the chair closer to the bed and settle down in it, still holding Gina's hand.

"I'll send Poppy up as soon as she arrives. Will you be okay on your own Harry my dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"I'm fine, thank you." He replied, giving her a genuine smile.

She nodded and left the room.

So Harry sat in silence for a while, observing as his friend continued breathing steadily as she slept.

"I'm sorry I dragged you into this." Harry muttered. "I hope you will be alright."

He sighed. "Nobody should have to relieve their worst memories over and over. Believe me, I know what it feels like. I'm sorry your parents were such assholes. And I'm sorry for your friend. I know I already thanked you before for listening and helping but…I think you don't know who much you've done for me in these short few weeks. Thanks to you I realized I had a problem and…and what that problem was and…thanks to you I felt strong enough to talk with Sirius about it. And while it's not perfect yet, it's better than before."

He gently rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb.

"I'll repay you. Somehow. Just…just be alright, okay Gina?"

There was a knock on the door and the familiar figure of Madam Pomfrey stepped inside.

"Good evening Mr. Potter." She whispered. "How is my most regular patient?" she asked kindly, if not slightly exasperated.

Harry shrugged. "I'm fine. It's my friend that needs help.

He explained what had happened.

Madam Pomfrey nodded.

"Don't worry Mr. Potter. I can fix her in no time. I will erase her memories of the attack and replace them with something more plausible. Then I will give her a dreamless sleep potion and Ms. Tonks will take her home safely. She will wake up in the morning being none the wiser."

Harry nodded. "Thank you Madam Pomfrey."

The Medi-Witch worked in silence for a few minutes, carefully erasing the memories from Gina's mind.

"What memory should I put in instead?" she asked after a few minutes. "It doesn't have to be overly detailed, I just need a general idea and with some encouragement the brain will form the memories on its own and fill the gaps."

Harry thought for a few moments before he said: "Make it about the two of us watching _Pulp Fiction_ together at my place. She loves that movie. And maybe something along the lines that she had a little too much to drink and that I escorted her home late and she fell asleep immediately." Harry muttered, still holding Gina's hand.

Madam Pomfrey raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything.

She began muttering and waving her wand, then a blue light travelled form the tip of her wand into Gina's head.

Gina sighed in her sleep and Madam Pomfrey nodded satisfied.

"It's done. I'll fetch Ms. Tonks and Kingsley."

She left and Harry was alone with his friend once more.

But only for a minute or so before the door opened again and Tonks, Shacklebolt, Sirius and Dumbledore stepped inside.

"It's all done then?" Shacklebolt asked.

Madam Pomfrey nodded. "She will remember nothing. She'll think she and Harry watched a movie together."

Tonks nodded. "That'll work. Okay, I'll take her home then."

"She lives at Nr. 12b on our street. And be careful, they have two dogs." Harry muttered, stepping aside to giver her room to work.

Tonks nodded. "Thanks Harry. And don't worry, I'll keep her safe."

Harry nodded.

Tonks swiftly levitated Gina into the air.

"Wait, let me say goodbye." Harry muttered, stepping up to Gina's hoovering body.

Quietly he whispered into her ear: "I'll see you real soon. Be safe. Be okay." And quickly pressed a kiss into her forehead, then stepped back and let Tonks guide her out of the room.

"You should probably go to bed Harry." Sirius said gently.

Harry nodded, his eyes already drooping.

"Yeah, I probably should." He agreed.

"I thought you and Ron could share a room but if you want, you can sleep here tonight." Sirius offered.

Harry shook his head.

"No, it's okay, I can share with Ron." He assured his godfather.

.

Ron was still awake when Harry entered the room.

So was Hermione who was sitting in an armchair by the window with Crookshanks on her lap.

"Hey guys." Harry greeted them.

"Hey mate." Ron replied with a nod.

Harry looked around.

The room was pretty much bare, with two beds and a connecting bathroom.

"So…this is where everyone's been hiding." Harry muttered. "How long have you been here?" he asked, turning back to Ron and Hermione.

"Only a couple of days." Ron replied, exchanging unsure glances with Hermione.

Harry nodded. "So that's why nobody was at the Burrow." He muttered.

"You were at the Burrow?" Ron asked confused.

Harry nodded. "Yeah, right before I came here."

"But how did you get here?" Hermione asked.

"Well, I didn't take the bus, that's for sure." Harry said with a shrug, the adding: "I think I apparated or something like that. I'm not really sure, I was kinda distracted."

Hermione's eyes widened.

"Apparated? Harry that is really dangerous if you do it without proper training."

Harry stared at her.

"You know what else is really dangerous? Being attacked by Dementors in your neighbourhood." He snapped.

Hermione recoiled slightly.

"Leave her be, she's just worried." Ron spoke up.

Harry sighed. "Yeah. So I gather."

Hermione squirmed in her seat.

"We also heard about your expulsion. It's totally unfair, they cannot do that!" she protested.

"A lot is totally unfair lately." Harry muttered.

He sat down on the empty bed and kicked off his shoes.

"How is your friend?" Hermione asked softly after a few moments of silence.

Harry sighed.

"Alive. Pomfrey said she'll be alright. Tonks has already taken her home." He explained, staring at his bandaged hand.

"That's good. Right?" Ron asked.

"Sure." Harry muttered. Then, to change the topic he asked: "So, how's the situation here? Do you know anything about what's going on, what they are doing?"

Ron's expression turned sour.

"No. We try to spy on them with all means possible but they have warded the doors and make sure we're always busy or have someone to look after us. It's really annoying." He muttered.

Harry frowned. "But surely you must have heard something!" he asked again.

Hermione and Ron looked at each other.

"Well…they've been recruiting. There're more people coming to each meeting but…it seems that you-know-who and his follower are doing the same. We overheard Shacklebolt report to Dumbledore, that a lot of the Deatheaters who walked free after the last war, are having suspicious meetings are sighted together more often." Hermione explained slowly.

"It's just so strange…after everything we've been told and have heard about the last war…I thought when he would come back it would be…I don't know…more direct. This game of shadows and keeping hidden. It unnerves me because we don't know what is going to happen and…" Ron shook his head "I don't know how I feel about waiting and being told there's nothing I can do."

Harry almost managed a smile.

"I feel exactly the same." He admitted.

"Me too." Hermione whispered.

"So what do we do about it?" Harry asked.

"Well we can't do anything as long as they keep us in the dark." Hermione reminded them softly.

"Well, good thing that's about to change. Sirius working on letting me in on their meetings."

"Really? How? And why?" Ron asked.

"Let's just say we had a really long talk the other day and cleared up a few things." Harry said vaguely.

"If you get in on these meetings, you can tell us!" Ron said excitedly.

"That is if they don't make Harry swear an oath of silence."

Ron scoffed. "Oh please, I don't think we have to worry about Harry betraying us and turning over to the dark side. He's like the one person where we can be sure, right mate?"

"Definitely." Harry muttered dryly. "Besides the last time Dumbledore tried to keep me and others from speaking I ended up with burn-scars on my wrist and he with an angry mob on his front door. I don't think he'll do that again, especially with Sirius around. Also as far as Sirius told me these oaths they have taken aren't so bad. If you break them the caster will know about it but there are no dire consequences like loss of you magic or death like with other vows. Breaking it will render you unable to speak until the caster of the oath releases you from it but that's not life-threatening."

Hermione sighed. "That still doesn't mean you have to do it for us." She reminded him. "We can find out a different way. Maybe Harry can convince them to let us in on everything."

"That might work with you. But mum would go ballistic if Dumbledore told me or Ginny or any of us. She's already mad enough that Bill is involved and that the twins are considering joining in." Ron said with a shrug.

Harry was about to say something when there were two 'plops' and Fred and George materialized out of thin air right next to him on the bed.

Harry jumped, his hand already reaching for his wand but he relaxed when he saw who it was.

"Well, if you are so keen on finding out what they are talking about, maybe you shouldn't stay cooped up in your room and take some action." Fred said with a sly grin and George held up something oval and fleshy-coloured.

"Yeah, 'cause they found Dung and Sirius is getting ready to kill him. Wanna listen?" George asked.

.

That's how Harry found himself crouching behind the balustrade of the second story landing with Fred, George, Ron, Hermione and Ginny kneeling beside him, their head pushed together over the top-part of an extendable ear with its bottom half was hovering downstairs before the living room door.

"Who is this Mundungus Fletcher guy anyway?" Harry asked quietly.

"Not really sure. Mom says he's a thief but he must have some value if Dumbledore is keeping him around." Ron whispered back.

"But that's not the important part. He was assigned as your guard tonight. And obviously he failed epically." George added.

"My guard?" Harry asked bewildered.

"Yeah, after everything that happened after the third task and then you getting attacked at your home they didn't just added protective wards around your neighbourhood but also established a rotating guard schedule to keep an eye on you." Fred explained.

"How do you know so much?" Hermione asked.

"We've been eavesdropping for weeks now." Fred said.

"What do you mean look after me?" Harry asked, bringing them back to the topic at hand.

"You know, someone to follow you whenever you left the house to make sure you didn't get into trouble." Fred explained with a shrug.

Harrys eyes narrowed. "Really?" he asked bitterly.

Why hadn't Sirius told him?

"Yeah, and then they report on you and what you did and how you're doing and stuff like that." George added. "It's really stalkerish."

Harry clenched his fists in anger. How dare they? Without telling him?

He leaned in on the fake-ear again, listening to the argument downstairs.

" _Cauldrons? That's what you left your post for? Fucking cauldrons? Harry could have died because you saw an opportunity for your shady businesses?"_ Sirius shouted just then.

" _To be fair, it was a really good deal. How was I supposed to know that tonight of all nights something goes wrong? The whole summer has been quiet so far!"_ came the defensive voice of a different man.

" _That's why we have the guard you idiot! In case something like this happens!"_

That was Remus.

Everyone around Harry looked as surprised to hear their former Professor so enraged.

" _Not to mention his friend almost died as well and now we have, on top of everything else, Harrys expulsion to deal with! They are going to milk this and use it against us!"_ came Sirius's voice once more. Then after a short pause he added: _"I'm just about to hex you into the next century Fletcher, you are lucky nothing worse happened or I swear they wouldn't even find a hair of you."_

" _If anyone even bothered to look."_ Came Remus's cool voice.

The gathered teenagers looked at each other with a mixture of amusement and surprise. Remus was scary when he was angry.

" _Now Gentlemen, let's be more civil. No need for threats, after all, we were lucky this time."_ Dumbledore's voice cut in between.

" _That's what I keep saying Albus but they keep on threatening me."_ Whined Mundungus.

" _It's not fine!"_ growled Sirius _"Harry is just staring to get better. He's finally talking to me. He's making friends with the neighbours for Merlin's sake! He's not just locking himself up in his room like he used to. We're making progress here and this…this could ruin everything. I've let him down again! He got hurt again, because I wasn't there to protect him. How is he ever going to trust us and believe in our support when he keeps having to fight for himself?"_

" _It was an accident!"_ Fletched shouted.

" _You being born was an accident."_ Sirius hissed.

" _It was an attack, an attempt on Harrys life. Voldemort is gaining power and influence. If he has Dementors under his command then nobody is safe!"_ Remus hurriedly said, before Fletcher could reply to Sirius's insult.

" _But the Ministry controls all Dementors."_ Protested Fletcher.

" _And who controls the Ministry? Voldemort and his followers."_ Interrupted Remus him.

Fletcher mumbled something to quiet for even the Ears to pick it up.

" _We don't know that yet…"_ said someone Harry couldn't identify.  
 _"Yes we do."_ Snarled Sirius.

" _If you had brought Harry here right after being released from St. Mungo's, none of this would have happened."_ Came Mrs. Weasleys voice.

" _Oh yes, great idea Molly, lock the depressed and borderline apathetic teenager in this house for eight weeks."_ Sirius said sarcastically.

Harrys ears burned red with embarrassment when he felt his friends gaze on him.

"It wasn't that bad." He muttered.

" _He wouldn't have been alone. He would have had Ron and Hermione and the others."_ Mrs. Weasley pointed out.

" _You mean he would have had you? Because you are so much better at caring for children?"_ Sirius asked angrily.

" _Well, if you put it like this, then yes, yes he would have been better of here."_

The gathered children looked at each other with wide eyes.

" _He's not like you, you know Sirius? Harry is sensitive and young and needs a guiding hand. Someone serious."_ Molly added.

" _He's not your son either."_ Sirius said in an ice-cold voice.

" _He's a good as."_ Molly replied sharply.

"Welcome to the family." George muttered.

" _Harry is in good hands we with me and Remus."_ Sirius shouted angrily.

Mrs. Weasley snorted.

" _I think we're losing track of the original argument."_ Dumbledore cut in. _"Mundungus, you may leave. We'll talk tomorrow about what happened. And Molly, Sirius is doing his best and Harry is happy where he is."_

There were steps approaching the door and Fred hastily started to reel in the expendable ear but Sirius voice rang out once more.

" _What about Harry? When do we talk to him about our plans?"_ Sirius asked.

" _Absolutely not, you cannot really be thinking of letting Harry in on everything that you have been planning!"_ shrieked Molly before Dumbledore could say something.

" _He's a child!"_ she then added.

" _He of all people has a right to know!"_ Remus said quietly.

" _He shouldn't have to deal with any of this!"_ Molly protested.

" _Yeah, well, like it or not, and believe me, I do not, he is involved."_ Sirius snapped at her.

" _So? You all have the power to do something about it."_

Sirius laughed but it was a cold and bitter laugh.  
 _"Have you met Harry? He wants this."_

" _He doesn't know what he wants. He doesn't understand the severity of what he's getting into."_ Mrs. Weasley snapped back at him.

" _I must agree with Molly…"_ came Dumbledore's reply. _"He simply doesn't understand everything yet."_

That was enough for Harry.

Ignoring his friends whispered protests he stormed down the stairs, not even bothering to be quiet.

He rushed past the expendable ear still hanging and towards the kitchen door.

It was locked and had a charm on it to alert those behind it if someone was listing in on them form the other side.

But as Harry approached it, blue sparks flew from it and it banged open, revealing a startled looking group of people.

Harry was mad.

"I don't understand the severity?" he roared angrily. "I'm sorry, but which one of the people in this room was there when Voldemort returned? Who was tortured by HIM? Who had to watch his parents' ghosts appear before him, only for them to vanish again? Who just now had to watch as another friend almost died before him? I don't understand?"

Harry laughed bitterly.

"No, I understand perfectly what is going on. It is you, who do not understand" he growled seething "You don't understand, that it's too late. No talking behind my back is going to stop this. Not even you can keep me from joining this fight. And do you want to know why? Because _you_ realized too late how bad things actually were. For years you didn't take Voldemort's attempts to come back serious enough. That's why everyone is so absolutely unprepared now. For years you ignored me. It's not like we were hiding the fact that he made two attempts to come back in my first two years at Hogwarts. But you wrote it off as a one-time-maybe-two-time-thing. And then shit hit the fan on the night of the third task and now, after everything I had to do and endure on my own, now you have the audacity to treat me like a child? You didn't care that I was just a child before all this happened. So no, you don't get to decide that for me. None of you do!"

Silence reigned through the room.

Sirius gave him an encouraging nod.

Mrs. Weasley saw the small movement and her eyes narrowed on Sirius.

"I suppose this is your doing. You cannot treat him like he is James Sirius. Stop trying to make him into something he is not."

"I'm not doing anything like that Molly. I just agree with Harry." Sirius replied coolly.

"Keeping him in the dark at this point is just foolish and jeopardizes his security."

Molly turned to Dumbledore. "You are not seriously considering letting him join the Order." She asked angrily.

"I think at the moment we have more pressing matters to discuss. Like Harrys expulsion from Hogwarts." Dumbledore said.

"That is not an answer." Molly snapped.

Taking a deep breath to reign in his anger slightly, Harry turned to face her.

"Mrs. Weasley, I love and respect you and I am forever grateful for all the things you have done for me over the years but I need you to back off right now, because as much as you might want it to be, I am not your son. I'm the son of James and Lily Potter, who sadly are both dead. And I don't know what they would have wanted for me. But that doesn't give you or anyone the right to speak for them or me, no matter who you are. My parents are dead. As are many other people we all have loved. And that sucks. And yeah, sometimes it seems like the best thing to just burry your head. That is exactly what everybody else is doing. But I will not have their sacrifice be in vain. My parents died so I could live. The least thing I can do is make sure that what they started is finally finished."

Silence once more.

"I'm doing this. With or without you. But…" and now he looked a Sirius "I'd rather do it with you and your help. Because together we can do much more."

He added a pointed look at Dumbledore, reminding him of their talk back then in his office.

"I think everybody's emotions are running high right now because of what happened tonight. Let's all go to bed now and talk about this another time." Dumbledore offered.

Harry sighed but he knew there was no point in arguing. He too was exhausted and he had said his piece and everybody had heard it.

That had to be enough for now.

His gaze fell onto a short wizard with bandy legs and long, straggly ginger hair. He had bloodshot, baggy brown eyes and his uneven patchy beard suggested that he rarely shaved. His hands were quite grubby, and he even from this distance Harry could smell the unmistakably strong odour of tobacco and alcohol. The clothes he wore were suppose to look expensive but the cheap material and their worn-down condition made them look like the knock-off they were.

"Are you Mundungus Fletcher?" he asked, his tone cold and sharp.

The smaller wizard puffed out his chest but Harry looked right through it.

"Yeah, that's me." He said loudly.

"I share my godfather's sentiment. You are lucky my friend wasn't too badly hurt tonight."

The unspoken 'or' hung in the air.

"Oi, I volunteered precious hours of my life protecting you boy! A little less attitude would serve you well. A bit more respect!" Fletcher protested.

Harry raised one eyebrow.

"I'm sure you did. And what a fine job you have done." He said dryly before making one step closer to the man.

Satisfied he noted, that Fletcher made an ever so tiny step backwards.

"You don't even know how lucky you were tonight. If my friend still suffers any consequences from tonights' events…I will hold you responsible."

Harry didn't feel the need to elaborate to the stout little man just what he would do to him.

He had stared down a dragon, battled the forces of nature and had fought Voldemort himself. This man was nothing to him and if he wanted, Harry would squash him under his foot like a cockroach.

Their tense silence was interrupted by Sirius gently pushing Harry away by his shoulders, saying in a false happy voice: "Okay, on his friendly note: Time for bed. Let's go pup."

Harry let him.

He had said everything that needed to be said.


	5. Things get heated

Chapter Five: Things get heated

Despite some protest from Mrs. Weasley, Harry returned home with his godfather and uncle the next day.

Harry hadn't slept well that night, dreaming of doors and endless corridors.

When they had gotten home, he had taken a long shower before getting dressed again and then joined Remus and Sirius for a late breakfast.

Outside the summer heat had finally been broken and it was raining once more.

"I'm gonna go and see Gina." Harry announced as soon as he was finished with his cereal.

Remus and Sirius exchanged a brief glance.

"I'll take you over there." Remus offered.

Harry nodded.

There was no point in arguing about going alone.

Less than 24 hours ago two Dementors had attacked him after all.

So an hour later Remus and he were trudging through the rain towards Gina's home.

Gina's adoptive mother, a charming woman by the name of Grace van Zuid, opened the door.

She was surprised to see them but invited them in anyway.

Gina's four younger siblings, all adopted as well, swarmed Harry the minute he set foot inside the living room.

"Gina is taking a shower right now, she'll be down in a few minutes." Grace announced as she came back downstairs.

"She had a great evening yesterday by the way, she couldn't stop talking about how much she enjoyed your movie-night. And it was so kind of you to escort her back home, Harry my dear." Grace gushed as she handed them tea and scones and homemade marmalade.

Harrys mouth was dry as sawdust but he swallowed and smiled at her.

"But of course, Mrs. van Zuid." He said thinly.

Abi, Gina's seven-year-old brother, tugged on Harrys sleeve.

"Can you play with us Harry?" he asked with his best puppy-eyes.

Gently Harry pried his little hand off his sweater and said: "Not today Abi, I need to speak with your sister just for a second and then we will be off again." He explained.

Abi pouted and left.

Harry sighed.

"Don't feel bad, they have perfected the art of making you feel guilty for refusing them." came Gina's voice from the kitchen door.

With a towel still wrapped around her head, dressed in sweatpants and a worn-out t-shirt, she stepped into the room.

She looked fine, her skin still flushed from the shower and no visible injuries on her anywhere.

Harry felt a stone drop from his heart.

"Hey." he greeted her and got up.

"Hey Harry, what brings you here this early?" she smiled back at him.

"Just wanted to check up on you" He said with a shrug "And to tell you that we're staying at a friends' place for a few days, maybe even until the end of the holidays and afterwards I will be off to school again, so I might not see you until the winter holidays."

Her face fell.

"Oh, that's too bad."

"I know, it sucks. But you can write me to this address and they will pass it on to me while I'm in school." he promised, handing her a piece of paper.

It was a system developed for Muggleborn and Half-Bloods who had friends and family on the outside, who didn't and couldn't know about Magic.

In order to keep up the appearance of just being a regular if not slightly reclusive private boarding school, the ministry had opened a postal shop in London where aforementioned family members and friends could send letters to, which would be transferred to the students of Hogwarts via owl-service and the other way around they would receive the letters from the students meant for their friends and direct them on via the normal muggle postal-service.

Gina smiled as she took the piece of paper.

"Awesome, I will do that! I never had a pen-pal before." She said with a wink.

"Not true, you had that Italian boy you met on holiday when you were twelve." Grace reminded her.

"That doesn't count, we wrote each other twice and then forgot about it." Gina protested. Turning back to Harry she added: "Don't worry, I will not do that to you!"

"Well, that's nice." Harry smiled.

"Well, we best be on our way then. Lots to do." Remus reminded them, getting up. "Thank you for the tea and the scones Mrs. van Zuid. Until the next time." He thanked Grace politely.

Gina hugged Harry.

"Look after yourself when you're back in school and if there's anything you need just write me." She whispered in his ear.

"I will, thank you Gina. Look out for yourself as well and tell the others I said Hi and that I will miss them." He whispered back.

"I will. See you soon Harry." She promised.

.

.

.

Grimmauld Place was almost empty by the time they returned.

Mr. Weasley was at work, Mrs. Weasley was out getting groceries with Ginny, Fred and Percy and aside from them nobody else permanently lived in the house.

George was sulking in the living room, working on one of their many joke-products.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked as he picked up the newspaper from the coffee-table. Sirius and Remus had just said their goodbyes as well and headed off to work.

"Mum doesn't like our joke-shop-idea and now she tries to keep up sperate as much as she can. Joke's on her through, we're most productive when we're at school anyway." George explained sullenly.

"That's sucks." Harry muttered, scanning the front of the newspaper.

Same old. He was a liar, Dumbledore was dangerous and there was nothing wrong with the world.

Disgusted Harry put it back down.

"Where are the others?" he asked.

"Hermione is in the kitchen doing homework and Ron went outside to fetch more candle-oil for her." George said with a shrug, twirling his wand in his hand.

"Alright, I'm going to look for them. Join us if you want."

"And get in the way of the Golden Trios shenanigans? No way." George snorted.

"The what?" Harry asked confused.

George raised an eyebrow.

"Don't tell me you never heard people refer to you three by that name…" he asked.

But seeing Harrys empty expression he shook his head.

"You really are oblivious sometimes, you know that? You pretty much had that nickname since first year, 'cause you three are always together, always get into trouble together, etcetera…Even the teachers call you that whenever they talk about you." He explained.

"This is honestly the first time I have heard that name." Harry assured him.

"Well, my answer stands. Go find your better thirds, I have work to do anyway on this Puke-pastilles."

"Puke-Pastilles?"

"It's exactly what it sounds like."

"Awesome."

.

Hermione was in the kitchen, just as George had said.

She had taken advantage of the empty house and the big kitchen table and spread her work out around her.

"Hey Mione." He greeted her as he stepped inside.

"Harry!" she said with a bright smile and jumped to her feet to hug him.

"I was only gone a few hours." He reminded her with a laugh.

She let go of him.

"I'm sorry. I know I'm being silly but…These last few months…I've almost lost you more times than I can bear and…it just makes me so happy every time I see you are actually fine and here…" she admitted with a lowered head.

Her confession startled Harry.

For the first time he realized how much his friends must have suffered as well and what they as well must have gone through.

"I'm sorry I wasn't a better friend Hermione. I'm sorry for snapping at you yesterday." He mumbled, pulling her into a hug.

"Oh no Harry, that's not what I meant. You have so much to worry about anyway, don't worry about me as well, it's fine. I'm just being…you know…silly." She protested.

"You are not silly Hermione. Just…" and remembering Georges' words he added "thank you for always standing by my side. I don't think I thank you guys enough for…well, for everything and all the things I drag you into. You are the best friends in the world."

"Oh Harry, you don't drag us into anything. We follow you because…well, because you are our friend and that's what friends do." She said firmly, staring his straight into the eyes.

"Also…we believe in you. And what you do and what you say. And Ron and I talked about this and…Harry, we are with you. Whatever might come next, we will remain next to you. We agree with you, there is a fight coming and you are at its centre, but that does not mean we will leave you to fight it alone. They may not like it but it's our war too. It's our lives, our future, Voldemort is threatening. And we will not stand idly by while he takes it from us. So…no matter what they say or try to do, you can always count on Ron and me. We will follow you anywhere and what is our is yours if you need it." She whispered fiercely, a fire burning in her eyes that Harry had only seen a few rare times before, one of them being just seconds before she sucker-punched Malfoy in the jaw.

To others this…confession of loyalty and…devotion…would have been awkward but it didn't feel awkward to Harry.

Hermione had been his constant companion for the better part of five years now and she was a part of him in a way.

Hearing her now say this out loud…it was a relief for Harry and a reassurance that he had the support he had craved form others for so long.

"Thank you, Hermione. This means a lot to me. I will do my best to be worthy of your trust. Besides, you know I'd be helpless without your smarts."

She smiled. "That is true. Speaking of which, have you finished your homework. I've finally managed to convince Ron to start with it. Can you believe it? Scholl starts in two weeks and he hasn't done a thing?"

Harry laughed.

One moment she was deadly serious, promising to fight by his side of die trying and in the next she complained about their missing homework.

"I can not believe it" He admitted before adding "Where is Ron anyway? George said something about oil?"

"Ah, yes, I asked Ron to fetch me more candle-oil and lamps. It's so gloomy in here, I wanted better lighting of my workspace" she explained before adding thoughtfully "Although he has been gone for quite a while now."

"Let's go find him." Harry suggested.

.

.

Grimmauld Place had a tiny garden out back but it was in terrible condition and most of the back was taken in by a garden shed.

They waded through waist-high grass and sunk to their knees in water when out of nowhere a tiny pond appeared.

"Urgh…this is disgusting." Hermione muttered.

There was light on in the shed, they could see an orange glow come out from under the door.

"What is he doing in there?" Hermione muttered.

Harry reached for the door-handle and gently pushed open the door.

.

It was not what they had expected.

Harry had expected to find Ron searching the hut for the oil and the lamps.

What they found was Ron crouching low on the ground over a lamp, clicking his fingers wildly, cursing lowly under his breath.

He didn't hear them enter and Harry exchanged a quick confused glance with an equally confused Hermione.

Their confusion turned to horror when all of a sudden Ron's fingers burst into fire!

Ron cheered.

Hermione screamed.

Ron, startled by her scream, jumped in surprise, fell over, his still burning fingers flailing wildly, before his whole lower arm burst into flames.  
"Ron!" Harry shouted in warning but too late.

A spark from Ron's burning arms hit the lamp on the ground, which instantly ignited, tipped over and set fire to an old dusty polar-bear-rug that hung from one of the rafters.

It went up in flames like kindling.

"Everybody out!" Harry shouted.

Hermione dragged Ron to his feet by his not-burning elbows and together they stumbled backwards out of the now merrily burning shed and back into the garden.

Ron, still flapping his arms, trying to dose the flames, tripped, pulling Hermione down with him, who in turn fell into Harry and all three of them landed with a mighty splash in the mucky water of the tiny pond.

The flames on Ron's arms finally went out.

Panting the three got to their knees.

The burning shed in the background illuminated their dirty faces.

They looked at each other, not quite sure who should speak first, when from the backdoor of the house George's voice said: "And you wonder why I didn't want to join you."

.

George dosed the fire quickly but refused to dry or clean any of them, stating: "How else will you learn not to set things on fire?"

Since nothing in the shed was salvageable, the three friends returned to the house for some hot showers.

Thanks to the magic wards nobody had noticed anything and no alarms had been triggered either, so no leagues of concerned adults were summoned back to the house, thankfully.

George didn't bother to ask questions but made it sure, that he would not take the blame for this.

.

After they each had showered and dressed in dry comfy clothes, they sat down in the room Ron and Harry shared, Ron on his bed and Hermione and Harry opposite of him on Harrys bed.

Silence, as the old grandfather clock on the corner ticked on.

"So…" Ron began but Hermione interrupted him.

"What the hell Ronald?" she hissed. "You promised me you would not do it again! At least not without someone there."

"It's not like I can exactly go to my parents with this, can I?" Ron asked bitingly.

"Hey, hey, hey" Harry interrupted, forming a T with his hands "Timeout everybody, can someone tell me what the hell is going on here?"

Hermione kept glaring at Ron, who sighed and leaned back against the wall.

"Do you remember just before the second task last year when Fred and I had this huge argument that ended with me spontaneously combusting?" Ron asked casually.

Harry narrowed his eyes.

"Yes, I do. But I thought that was accidental magic."

"I don't think it is." Ron said, suddenly excited. "You see, I thought it was a one-time-thing as well but then I did it again when I tried lightning a candle back home. I had no matches, which annoyed me, so I just waved my hand angrily and he candle lit up! I thought it was some weird ass coincidence but then…"

"…he did it again here on the first night of the summer holidays." Hermione interrupted him angrily.

"He was sitting right there and waved his hands at a candle. At first nothing happened but then a spark flew from his hand, hit the candle and it burned. And not just it but the bed-spread as well!"

Guiltily Ron flipped over the covers to reveal a burnt patch.

"I made him promise me to not do it again alone. And to talk to someone about it." Hermione added angrily.

"Yeah right, because Harry walks up to everyone he knows and tells them he's a parselmouth. Come on Hermione, this isn't exactly normal!" Ron argued.

"You cannot possible compare being a parselmouth with your…fire-power, whatever it is!" she muttered.

"I don't even know what it is. It doesn't always work and most of the time it goes wrong. I'm just trying to see if I can control it."

"You could get yourself killed!"

"The fire doesn't burn me, look!"

Ron showed them his pale white but unharmed hands and forearms.

"You could get someone else killed." Hermione corrected her statement without hesitation.

"I'm careful." He protested.

"Like right now, when you burned down the shed?"

"That wasn't my fault, if you hadn't startled me it would have been fine."

"Fine my ass. This wasn't our fault!"

"Guys!" Harry shouted, holding up his hands. "Calm down. Please!"

Both of them shut up though Hermione didn't look happy about it.

Harry turned back to Ron.

"Show me." He said quietly.

Ron grinned before his face broke into a look of tense concentration.

All five fingers of his right hand lit up at once.

Hermione flinched violently, her hand reaching for her wand but the fire stayed where it was, calm and gently wavering back and forth.

Carefully Harry got up and sat down next to Ron.

He reached out for the flames but pulled back when the heat got to intense.

"Wicked." he muttered. "Turn it off."

Ron frowned. "That's not as easy. Sometimes it goes off on its own and sometimes when I run water over it but sometimes even then it keeps on burning."

"Just try. Make it go out. I mean, you summoned it, then you can make it disappear, right?" Harry asked encouragingly.

"I guess so…" Ron muttered, concentrating once more.

One by one the fire around his fingers flickered and then went out.

Carefully Harry took Ron's hand.

It was cool to the touch and perfectly normal.

Looking over to Hermione he asked: "Have you ever heard about something like this? People having…I don't know…these kinds of abilities?"

She had her arms crossed over her chest but replied nonetheless.

"Well…not exactly like this. But…it could be worth looking into it." She admitted. "If Ron promises to be more responsible with it. You need to learn to control it."

"I will!" Ron promised excitedly.

"So…what do we tell the others when they ask what happened to the shed?" Harry asked.

Ron hesitated. "I'd rather not tell anyone just yet. Not until we know more about…whatever this is…" he said.

"Fair enough." Harry said. Seeing Hermione's indecisiveness, he added: "It's his power Mione. It's his decision."

She sighed. "So what _do_ we tell then then?"

.

Harry was pretty sure nobody really believed their story about them tripping over a lit lamp while searching for more oil in the shed and George pointedly hid behind an open newspaper, but luckily nothing of real value had been lost on the fire and most adults were just glad nothing had happened to them.

"It was George who put out the fire. He immediately took action and made sure we were alright." Harry added lastly.

"Really?" Mrs. Weasley asked astounded.

Fred patted his twin on the back.

"Yes, he's very responsible." Harry added with a tiny wink at George.

George rolled his eyes. "Don't go around ruining my reputation Potter!" he teased Harry.

And that was the last of it.

.

.

.

.

But that sadly wasn't the last fiery incident of the evening.

Dumbledore came by after dinner.

As soon as they had sat down, he explained why he was there.

"I talked to the office for regulation of underage magic and Madam Hopkirk has agreed to give you a chance to defend yourself. Apparently, she didn't know it was your first offence. She was under the impression that as a third time offender you knew the risks. But since Fudge cleared you of all charges two summers ago, this makes it your first offence and gives you the right to defend your actions."

"Third time offender?" Sirius asked with a raised eyebrow.

Harry sighed. "The summer before second year a house elf used a levitation charm in my home to drop a cake on my uncles' boss's wife during a dinner party and you already know how I blew up Aunt Marge during the summer of third year. But the Minister cleared me off those charges." He explained quickly.

"Indeed." Dumbledore agreed. Then he added: "Any how Harry, this is good news. Mafalda is an old friend of mine and an impartial judge. She will hear you out and with enough evidence to support your reasons for using magic I don't worry about you being allowed to return to Hogwarts come September at all."

From the folds of his robes he pulled out an envelope and handed it to Harry.

"This is the invitation to your hearing."

Harry opened the letter and overflew the lines written there.

Three days from now at eleven o'clock in the morning.

"Thank you, Headmaster." He said, handing the letter to Sirius to read.

"I of course, along with Sirius, Poppy and maybe Remus, will speak in your defence."

"Shouldn't I get a lawyer or something like that?" Harry asked.

Dumbledore waved it aside.

"It's just a private hearing in her office. No need for a lawyer, after all, you did nothing wrong."

"If I didn't do anything wrong, why am I in this situation?" Harry asked dryly.

"Don't worry Harry, we'll clear this up in no time. Now, if you'll excuse me, I will have a piece of Molly's delicious pie before returning to Hogwarts."

As soon as he was out of the room, Sirius looked at Harry and asked: "What do you think pup?"

Harry looked back down at the letter.

"I think I'd rather have a lawyer by my side. No offence, but the Ministry is out to get me. I'm not leaving anything to chance."

"Anyone you have in mind?" Sirius asked.

"Sort of." Harry muttered.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Ducking underneath a low hanging sign proclaiming "50% off newts' eyes – only today!" Harry pressed past a particular fat wizard and finally reached the front stairs to Gringotts.

He would have preferred to floo there, not risking being spotted out in the open like this, but they'd run out of floo powder and while Remus was picking up new one, Sirius and Harry were going to a meeting with the Goblins.

They were the only allies Harry felt he had left and when he had suggested to Sirius that he'd rather have a lawyer than let Dumbledore 'handle it', Sirius had suggested he'd talk to Argentum and see if the Goblin could help.

Since Harry had sustained rather serious injuries during the third task and his recovery had been less than smooth, Argentum had put his apprenticeship on hold for now, giving Harry the summer to get back on his feet.

He was supposed to come in for his first holiday classes this Wednesday but now _this_ had come up and Harry wasn't sure he could really concentrate on Curse-Breaking with all this shit going at the the side.

So he had written Argentum a short letter, explaining the situation and asking for help.

In return his Goblin teacher had summoned him to the bank today.

Flashing his apprentice-badge to the goblin guarding the corridor to the private offices of the different Guilds, Harry quickly made his way to Raknok's office.

The badges were a new thing.

Apparently, while the rest of the wizarding world put their heads in the sand, the goblins had caught on that something foul was going on as of late and had increased their security even more.

Even though Argentum hadn't said so explicitly in the letter, Harry assumed that he would be able to help him. Why else would he invite them to come here for a meeting?

They reached the door and Harry knocked sharply.

"Come in Potter." Called out a familiar voice.

Harry opened the door to the messy office of the master to his guild.

For a brief second, he remembered just how long he hadn't been here and hadn't seen the old Goblin.

Nothing much had changed.

The office was still chaotic and filled to the brim with all sort of clutter and Raknok was still the old wrinkled, scarred goblin dressed in armour that he had been twelve months ago.

"Good, you're here." said Raknok in a way of greeting.

"Sit down, we have a lot to talk about" he continued, gesturing at the empty chairs in front of his desk "You know Argentum. And this is one of our lawyers, who has specialized in representing our apprentices in all kinds of matters." He added, pointing at the two Goblins who Harry only then saw.

Argentum had come and seen him at the hospital for a short visit. He hadn't changed much since then.

The other goblin was just a small as his colleagues with raven black hair and beetle-eyes and a hook-nose.

Harry greeted his mentor before turning to the goblin lawyer.

He was surprised when he greeted him by clasping his lower arm. Harry returned the gesture automatically.

"Well met Harry Potter" the goblin said in a voice that was smoother than his appearance suggested "I've heard a lot about you. My name is Grit."

"Well met." Harry replied before sitting down next to Sirius.

Argentum stood up to speak.

"You did the right thing coming to us Potter. While we have no reason to assume that this hearing will be any more than that, you are still first and foremost our employee and investment. Our claim is higher and we have more say about what happens to you. At the same time, we have an obligation to you too as you are our charge." He explained briskly.

Harry nodded.

"I have already been informed about what happened and have taken the liberty to collect a statement from Healer Pomfrey about the events that night, as well as Aurors Shacklebolt and Tonks and how they managed the situation. They did everything in accordance with protocol in regard to the muggle that witnessed everything. The only thing they didn't do was inform the Ministry that the muggle had been taken care of. But so many wizards get caught using magic by muggles everyday and they simple obliviate them without ever telling the Ministry. The only reason they found out now was because you are underage." Grit took over. "But I don't worry about that at all. We have the facts and enough evidence to support your claim that the situation justified the use of underage magic."

"That's all nice and well but what if that's not enough?" Harry asked.

"You can always give your memories. It wouldn't have to be the entire evening, just the part where the Dementors attacked and where the girl was obliviated and taken home." Grit explained easily.

"You're not the first apprentice we had that got caught using underage magic. And at least with you it's a valid reason. In these hearings you usually just have to explain yourself, then you get a slap on the wrist if it's a first-time thing and then you are sent home." Argentum added.

"Maybe, but the Ministry is not my biggest fan at the moment and I'm just concerned that they'll somehow turn this against me."

"While we can't argue with that, we can assure you that we are prepared for all eventualities." Grit assured him.

.

.

.

The day of the hearing, Harry and Sirius arrived early as per the suggestion of Grit, so they could meet up before the actual hearing and go over their statements one last time.

Harry kept close to Sirius as they walked through the Ministry.

He hadn't slept well last night, once more dreaming of endless corridors and locked doors. He'd woken up in the middle of the night with a feeling of anger and frustration deep inside of him.

Now the lack of sleep and the thousands of Ministry employees all around him, the noises and the feeling of dread of what lay ahead of him, made him moody and irritable.

As they passed under the humongous canvas with the picture of Cornelius Fudge on it, Sirius muttered in his ear: "We're almost there Harry. Grit told us to meet him at the third elevator."

Harry just nodded.

He had already spotted the Goblin.

His lawyer saw them too and waved them over.

Harry set to greet him but the Goblin was faster.

"It's an outrage, let me tell you this. Don't worry Mr. Potter, I have already called in for back up and we will sort this out."

The bad feeling intensified.

"Why, what happened?" he asked as Grit ushered them into an elevator.

"The time and place of your hearing has been changed. Instead of meeting with Hopkirk you are now being summoned before the entire Wizengamot! In ten minutes!" the Goblin growled, his pointy teeth flashing in the light of the elevator.

Harrys stomach turned.

"What? What does that mean?" he asked.

It was Sirius who answered for him.

"It means someone found out about what happened and is trying to use it against you. Just what we didn't want to happen."

Harry paled.

"And the entire Wizengamot…that means…." He asked.

"All fifty members, the chief warlock and the Minister of Magic." Grit growled.

The elevator lurched sideways and then down again.

"Can they do that?" Sirius asked with clenched fists.

"I doubt anyone cares." Grit replied.

They lurched to a stop and the doors opened.

A shiver went down Harrys spine.

A shiver of familiarity. He'd been here before…

Grit let them to a door at the far end of long corridor.

Before he opened the door he turned to Harry.

"Let us handle this. Speak only when you feel like it and don't worry. We got you."

Harry nodded, swallowing hard.

Grit nodded and pushed open the door.


	6. Harry J Potter vs the Wizarding World

Chapter Six: The case of Harry J. Potter vs. the Wizarding World

Harry looked around the huge stone chamber as they stepped in.

It seemed to have been carved in one piece out of the stone.

In a circle rows of stone-pews lined the walls like a colosseum.

The circular space in the middle was taken in by a chair, fastened to the floor with iron manacles on the armrests and the front feet of the chair, as well as a small table with two regular chairs.

Straight across from the manacle-chair was a raised cubicle-like seat with the seal of the Wizengamot painted onto it.

From underneath the vaulted sealing floating orbs of light illuminated the room.

Harry then focused on the gathered people.

On the stone pews to the left and right of the recess sat about fifty people, all clad in identical plum-coloured robed with a silver 'W' on their left chest.

He spotted a couple of familiar faces.

Amos Diggory sat in the third row next to Obu Patil, Padma's and Parvati's father.

Victor Greengrass was also there, sitting in the front bottom row the left. He nodded at Harry but looked concerned.

He spotted Amelia Bones and Jason Abbot close to the recess.

Nevilles' Grandmother was easy to spot thanks to her vulture-hat. The guy sitting behind her didn't look thrilled judging by the was he kept leaning left and right all the time to try and see what was going on in front of him.

A surprise was the sight of Narcissa Malfoy on the far-right side.

Harry hadn't heard from her since she had saved him from fake Moody. Whenever he'd written her on their enchanted piece of parchment she never replied.

Now too she wasn't looking at him either, looking rather bored.

But he noticed that she had seated herself rather far away form the likes of Crab and Goyle Sr.

And sitting on the raised cubicle seat was the Minister himself.

The rest of the room, to Harrys annoyance, was taken in by curious onlookers and reporters.

Rita Skeeter's tell-tale blond worm-like hair moved around in his peripheral vision.

Almost all chattering ceased when the three of them entered.

Harry supressed the smirk at the sight of Fudges annoyed expression.

He had hoped the wouldn't show up. Or at least be late.

But thanks toe Grits insight they had arrived just in time.

"Presenting himself before the Wizengamot for his disciplinary hearing is Harry James Potter, heir apparent to the Houses Potter and Black." Grit announced loudly.

Fudge, suddenly aware that everybody was looking at him adjusted his expression to a more neutral one and nodded.

"He is recognized. Be seated and let's begin."

Harry stared at the chair and the manacles.

"It's alright Harry." Sirius whispered.

With a sigh Harry sat down but refused to put his arms on the armrests or anywhere near those chains.

The chair was hard and the back straight and Harry didn't like how it made him feel so small as all around him the grown ups stared down at him.

Sirius and Grit sat down at the small desk next to his chair.

Fudge banged his gavel twice and the room fell into complete silence.

"I hereby declare the court to be in session. Interrogators Cornelius Oswald Fudge Minister of Magic and Mafalda Hopkirk Head of the Department for the misuse of magic. Witness for the defence: Healer Pomona Pomfrey, Senior-Auror Kinsley Shacklebolt and Auror Nyphadora Tonks and Sirius Orion Black. Court scribe: Percival Ignatius Weasley."

That last name made Harry look up.

Percy had been a sore topic all summer and now Harry saw him for the first time since…well…since the third task really. He almost didn't recognize the third Weasley son in his robes and stoic expression as he scribbled away on a piece of parchment.

But he had no time to think about it anymore because Fudge continued.

In a tone that bordered hostility Fudge asked Grit: "And who might you be?"

Grit ignored Fudges tone and replied: "Representing the accused: Grit of the Goblin Nation. I ask you to add a few last-minute witnesses."

He handed Percy a scroll.

"And who might those extra witnesses be?" Fudge asked.

"In due time." Grit waved him off. "Please proceed Minister. What are the charges you accuse my client of?"

"I don't take orders from you" Fudge grumbled but proceeded to name the charges.

"The charged against the accused are as follows: that he did knowingly and in full awareness of the illegality of his actions produced a Patronus charm in the presence of a muggle. Aside from the obvious violation of the statue of secrecy, this is also Mr. Potters third offence and as such warrants not only his expulsion from Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry but also for his wand to be snapped immediately and his exclusion from our society."

Fudge smirked at Harry with self-satisfaction as around them whispers broke the silence in the room. The flashed of dozens of cameras behind him illuminated the room.

Harry tried to remain calm.

But inside he was already boiling with anger.

Fudges blunt statement was supposed to taunt him into responding, he knew that. And boy, was he close to snapping already.

But Grit must have sensed it because he stepped in front of Harry and drew the attention of the room onto himself.

"Thank you Minister for this comprehensive summary. But not all of your statements were correct. Now, before we get the crux of the issue, I would like for Madam Hopkirk to clear those up. Madam?"

All eyes turned to the small thin woman sat just outside of Fudge's box.

Nervously she straightened eth papers in her lap.

"Ahm…yes, the Goblin is right. While Mr. Potter has indeed been summoned for the misuse of underage magic, this is technically his first offence. The previous two charges, one incident of a levitation charm being used and one of…ahm…enlarging his aunt, were dropped two years ago by the Minister of Magic Cornelius Oswald Fudge."

She held up a paper and then passed it down to her colleagues, who passed it along through their rows, reading the dismissal of the charges.

Once more a murmur went through the room.

Fudge blushed.

"And what is the usual procedure for first-time-offenders Madam Hopkirk?" Grit asked loudly.

"A private hearing in my office and an official warning. If there is the need for clean-up, such as obliviating mortals or fixing property damages, it will be provided against a fee of course."

Grit nodded.

"But then how come my client was summoned before the entire Wizengamot?"

Madam Hopkirk looked nervously at her boss.

"I don't know. I received note of the change just minutes before the hearing was set to begin."

Turning around to face the rest of the gathered members Grit continued: "Just like my client. Luckily, we arrived early. One can only wonder why…"

Fudge interrupted him.

"Because this is no ordinary case of an underage wizard using magic. This is Harry Potter after all." He said heatedly.

Grit narrowed his eyes.

"How does my clients identity change the nature of the offence. He is underage and he preformed magic outside of school. That is the definition of the crime you accuse him of."

"This is different, he used magic in front of a muggle. Our entire world was put at risk by him." Fudge reminded him loudly.

"So you say. But Mr. Potter is not the first underage wizard to have used magic in front of muggles and since we're all still here and the muggles are none the wiser that must mean the danger of exposing our world was minimal at best."

"Minimal? How can something like this be minimal?" Fudge growled.

"Would you like me to prove it?" Grit asked.

Fudged didn't say anything but Amelia Bones nodded and said: "Please do. I don't think many of us know what you are talking about."

Turning to Percy Grit said: "Please call in the first witness on the list."

With an uncertain look at his boss, Percy read out loud: "Calling Sabretooth of the Goblins to the witness stand."

The doors opened and a Goblin waddled in.

Grit motioned for Harry to go and sit next to Sirius while the Goblin took his seat.

"Please introduce yourself to the Wizengamot." Grit asked his fellow Goblin.

"The name's Sabretooth." Sabretooth grumbled.

"What is your position with our bank?"

"I keep records."

"What kinds of records?"

"All kinds."

"Do you keep records of the misuse of underage magic?"  
"Yes."

"Could you please summon up the case of Montgomery vs. the Wizarding World?"

The Goblin sighed.

"Alright, so we had this apprentice a few decades ago. He was studied under the gold-smiths in our bank. Then one day, on a field trip in the muggle world with a few of his friends he was dared to revive a replica of a dinosaur in the British Museum. He did it. It was one of the greatest clean-up operations of the century. Over five-hundred muggles had to be obliviated and the property damage came to a total of thirteen thousand gallons, three sickles and 20 knuts."

"I remember that. It was a huge scandal." Call out Neville's grandmother. "I knew that boy" she continued "had horrible manners."

"Yes, and how old was Mr. Montgomery at the time of the crime?" Grit asked.

"Fifteen." Sabretooth said.

"The same age as Mr. Potter then." Grit observed.

Once more muttering could be heard.

"What about the case of O'Sullivan vs. the Wizarding World?" Grit continued.

"She was an apprentice healer under our bank and used magic to heal a little boy that had gotten run over in the street behind her family's home in Nottingham. Eighteen people had to be obliviated."

Grit nodded.

"And what about the case of Goodwill vs the Wizarding World?"

"I think we get the point!" Fudge called out red-face with anger.

"I don't think you do. Please proceed Sabretooth." Grit waved him aside.

"This has nothing to do with this case."

"If you would let my witness continue you would see it does." Grit sneered.

"I want to hear this." Came Victor Greengrasses voice, booming through the room.

There were several people nodding.

"Please continue." Grit told Sabretooth.

"Goodwill was an accountant trainee, Muggleborn, and during the holidays she went camping with friends and they were attacked by a werewolf on the night of a full moon. Goodwill fought the beast off but not before herself and one of her muggle friends were bitten. Five people had bee obliviated and the infected human died of his wounds three days later. Goodwill survived."

"Thank you, that will be all." Grit said, nodding as his fellow Goblin. Sabretooth nodded and left, sitting down to one side.

Grit handed out several files.

"These are copies of the official reports filed for each of these cases and the aftermaths of each, in case you want to read up on them." He explained as the files were passed around.

"Now, if you are wonder why I bring these old cases up, allow me to explain. The first case shows that even though a lot more muggles were exposed to magic, the situation was still handled and our secret remains safe to this day. So the statement, that Mr. Potter risked our exposure is, as I already said, minimal at best."

Harry looked around the room, seeing the people skim through the files while listening to Grit.

"The second and third case deal with the exceptions for the reasonable restriction on underage magic. In both cases magic was used to save lives. Now can we really condone such actions? Just like the two women in these cases, my client, Mr. Potter, acted out of self-defence, not just for his life but also for the life of an innocent bystander. His friend. So I really don't understand why my client is treated like a mass murderer in this chamber when should be congratulated on his quick thinking."

"Saving a life? Whatever from?" asked a woman to Fudge's left.

She looked like a massive toad and even from underneath her plum-coloured robe Harry could see eth collar of something atrociously pink.

"Well Madam Undersecretary, there is only one thing the Patronus defends against isn't there?" Grit asked sweetly.

"You want us to believe, that a dementor attacked the boy? In a muggle neighbourhood? Please, I've heard far more believable stories." The woman sneered.

Grit narrowed his eyes.

"I'm calling Harry James Potter to the witness stand. I think its time we hear his account of what happened that night."

Harry rose slowly and approached the chair and sat down once more.

"Mr. Potter, do you promise to speak the truth and nothing but the truth while in this chamber?" Grit asked.

"I do." Harry said firmly, glad that his voice sounded steady.

"Fasten the chains of truth." Fudge called out.

Almost immediately the shackles on the chair sprung to life, wrapping themselves tightly around Harrys arms, legs and chest.

Protests rose through the chamber, Sirius being the loudest.

"Minister, I remind you my client is a minor, you cannot simply bind him!" Grit shouted angrily.

"Why not, if your client has nothing to hide, he should have nothing to fear?" Fudge asked smugly.

"That is not the point, without parental consent this is a felony and could see you serving eight to twelve years in Azkaban." Grit hissed coldly.

"I'm the Minister of Magic." Fudge growled.

"That doesn't mean you are above the law." Grit reminded him. "Now get these chains of my client."

"No" Harry interrupted him loudly "The Minister wants the truth? If this is the only way He'll believe it then let it be."

Grit turned to him.

"Be advised Mr. Potter that if you lie while shackled, the bonds will tighten each time more and more and they are known to have squeezed criminals to death."

Harry swallowed but nodded. "I understand. But I have nothing to hide."

Grit hesitated for a second, then nodded.

"With the guardians' consent…" he said, looking at Sirius.

Harry looked ta his godfather.

Sirius had a murderous expression on his face.

But Harry nodded at him slightly, mouthing: 'I can take it.'

Sirius nodded abruptly. "I consent." Was all he said.

"Mr. Potter" Grit picked the conversation back up "please give us your recount of what happened that night."

Harry nodded.

"I was out in the park close to where we live. I was alone but then Gina found me."

"To clarify, Gina is who?" Grit asked.

"Gina is the muggle who witnessed my doing magic." Harry explained.

"Anyway, she sat down next to me and we talked for a bit when suddenly I got a bad feeling."

"Bad feeling?" Amelia Bones asked with a raised eyebrow.

Harry shrugged. "I don't know how else to describe it." He admitted and then continued:

"All of a sudden the weather changed. Clouds blocked out the sun and it started raining heavily. Since we were on a playground, Gina and I took shelter to wait out the worst of it. That's when I felt the familiar feeling of dread and cold. I immediately knew what it was. I told Gina to run but that's when the first Dementor attacked us."

"The first? As in more than one?" a fat wizard asked.

Harry nodded. "Yes. There were two in fact. The first one attacked Gina. I tried to help her but then the second appeared and latched onto me. They would have killed us but I managed to grab my wand and summon Prongs."

"Prongs?" Grit asked.

Harry blushed slightly.

"My Patronus takes the form of a stag, just like my fathers." He explained softly.

Silence rang through the room.

Clearing his throat awkwardly Harry continued: "So…ahm…Prongs fended the Dementors off and I checked up on Gina. She hadn't been kissed, thank Merlin, but she was really out of it, only semi-conscious. I knew I had to get her help."

Grit turned back to Fudge.

"This is where I call in Kingsley Shacklebolt and Nyphadora Tonks. If you would please unshackle my client?"

Fudge waved his hand and the shackles fell away. Relieved Harry took a deep breath and re-joined Sirius at the desk, who promptly put an arm around his shoulder, pulling him close.

Tonks and Shacklebolt approached the witness stand.

The chair widened so they both could sit down.

"Do both of you tell the truth and nothing but the truth?" Grit asked.

Both said yes.

"Do you consent to the chains of truth?" Fudge asked.

"We do." The two of them said.

The chains sprung to live once more and coiled around the two Aurors.

For a second Harry was worried. What about the secrets, the Order and all that? But then he told himself that the two would never have consented if they weren't prepared for that.

"Ms. Tonks, you were present when Mr. Potter arrived home with his unconscious friend. Please tell us what happened afterwards."

Tonks nodded. "Harry appeared in the living room with Gina, who was more or less unconscious. Both were shaking and were deathly pale. Harry managed to tell us what had happened. Knowing that time was of the essence I fire-called Madam Pomfrey."

"Why her?" Grit asked.

"Well, Madam Pomfrey is the only healer I know with enough expertise to handle something like this."

"I would like to know why the two of you were with Black in the first place?" Fudge interrupted them.

Tonks shrugged. "Sirius is my cousin. I visit him all the time." She said. The chains remained where they were.

"And you Shacklebolt?"

"Sirius is an old friend. I trained him before he was wrongfully imprisoned. We've been catching up since he got free and have become good friends. I too was visiting that day. It was a coincidence Tonks was there too."

The chains remained calm.

Harry frowned.

Technically it was correct what they were saying but that's not what had happened that night…

As if reading his thought Sirius whispered in his ear: "The chains are not fool-proof. They are only sensitized to really big lies. But these technical truths are beyond it. That's why is not really a reliable interrogation method but good for intimidation and stuff like that."

Harry nodded and focused back on the conversation at hand.

"So then what?" Fudge asked impatiently.

"Madam Pomfrey arrived and took care of Harry and Gina. She replaced the memories of the attack with a new one and Shacklebolt and I took Gina home." Tonks explained.

"Why didn't you report to the Office of Misuse of Magic?" Bones asked.

"To be honest there was so much going on and then the letter with Harry's expulsion from Hogwarts came and that somehow took precedence. We should have reported it but that the time it was just the last thing on our mind." Shacklebolt finished.

"Are there anymore questions for the witnesses?" Grit asked.

"What do you mean Mr. Potter _appeared_?" the toad like woman asked.

"Exactly what it means. One second he wasn't there, the next he was." Tonks said impatiently, crossing her arms.

All eyes turned back to Harry.

"So another act of illegal magic?" the toad-woman asked in her disgustingly sweet high pitched voice.

"No other acts of underage magic were registered, except for the Patronus." Grit reminded her.

"Then how did Mr. Potter just appear out of thin air? Illegal apparation?" toad-woman asked.

"No such activities were recorded." Madam Hopkirk said, handing her a piece of parchment which the toad didn't take.

Eyes turned back to Harry.

"Can you please clarify how you got from the playground to your home?" Grit asked Harry.

Harry hesitated.

"Not really" he began and quickly added when muttering rose up "Because it was accidental magic and I don't really know what I did. I just really wanted to get to Sirius so I could help Gina. I guess I could have apparated but I never learned how to so I don't know…"

"Nobody your age still experiences accidental magic Mr. Potter." Fudge sneered. "Clearly these are all lies to…"

"Actually children Mr. Potters age and older can experience bursts of accidental magic in cases of severe trauma or fear for example. Emotional turmoil can upset our magical core and enable it to act on our behalf as a survival mechanism. Apparation, flight or teleportation are a from of flight in case of emergencies." Grit interrupted the Minister.

"If there are no more questions, I would like to call Madam Pomfrey to the witness stand."

There weren't and Madam Pomfrey sat down in the chair.

It made Harry angry to see this kind woman chained to the chair.

"What happened after you arrived at the scene?"

"The Muggle girl was in a bedroom, unconscious. Mr. Potter was there with her. I examined her and found symptoms compatible with a dementor attack. Low pulse and blood pressure, slow brain activity, cold clammy skin, short rapid breathing and such. I did what I could for her and then per Mr. Potters request I changed her memories. Once the new memories had settled in correctly and were accepted by the brain, I gave the okay for her to be moved."

"What was the new memory you implanted in her mind?" Bones asked.

"Would you like me to show it?" Pomfrey asked.

Bones nodded and Madam Pomfrey waved her wand.

The lights in the chamber diminished and the silvery wisp of a memory rose onto the air and expended into a scene.

It showed the insides of their living room. It showed Harry and Gina sitting on the huge couch, their faces illuminated by the movie on the screen of the tiny TV Gina had brought over to watch one of her favourite movies.

On the table in front of them stood snacks and drinks.

Gina was laughing and they were talking while the movie played on the background.

"Okay, never have I ever had siblings." Memory-Harry say.

"Not fair Harry, you're an only child!" Memory-Gina complains but picks up a bottle of beer and takes a long sip.

Memory-Harry laughs. "Okay, next one." He says grinning brightly.

"Isn't it my turn?" Memory-Gina asks. "Not if you had to drink." Memory-Harry smirks.

Memory-Gina rolls her eyes.

"Never have I ever had to change diapers." Memory-Harry continues.

"I should never have taught you this game." Memory-Gina grumbles before drowning the rest of the bottle.

The memory stopped.

"It continues like that for a while. Then Mr. Potter takes her home and that's it. Her next memories will be of her waking up in her own bed. While she might experience the odd nightmare every now and then the muggle has been properly obliviated. She knows nothing." Madam Pomfrey explained.

She left the witness stand and sat down on the pews next to Kingsley and Tonks.

Grit took the floor once more.

"Let's go over everything we've learned so far. My client, in an act of self-defence, summoned a Patronus to defend himself and his friend from two Dementors. He then proceeded to get his friend the help she needed and also took care of any magic she might have witnessed. As I see it my client has not committed a serious crime. In my eyes this investigation should have rather concentrated as to why two dementors were so far away from Azkaban and why the attacked without permission. But now, instead resources and the valuable time of the Wizengamot it used to settle a small case of underage magic. Why? Why did you try to exclude my client from his hearing by changing time and place of his hearing? Why are so keen on brandishing him a liar? Why did you think his identity should have been put into consideration in his sentencing? Why Minister?"

Silence all over again.

"These are nothing but wild accusation." Fudge fumbles.

"Are they? It is no secret that there is a certain animosity between your administration and my client at the moment. You were letting your personal feelings cloud your judgement. You were hoping to present my client as a criminal to you peers so that you might sentence him to a harsh punishment."

"You have no proof of that."

"I have this entire trial as my proof. I move that we get to the sentencing part." Grit hisses.

Fudge doesn't move but Harry cans see from the reaction of the gathered audience as well as the Wizengamot members that what Grit said finds agreement with them.

Madam Bones rises to her feet.

"All those In favour of sentencing the accused may raise their hand now."

Harry swallows as hand after hand goes up, among them Fudge, toad-woman, Crab and Goyle Sr., Lord Nott, several others and Narcissa Malfoy.

Madam Bones counts the voices.

"All those in favour of dropping all charges and re-admitting Mr. Potter back to Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry my raised their hands."

Hand after hand goes up.

Victor Greengrass, Amos Diggory, Augusta Longbottom, Madam Bones herself, Madam Hopkirk, and many many others.

Pretty quickly it was clear to see that there were more in favour of him than not.

"All those withholding their votes?"

Only three people haven't voted.

Madam Bones nodded.

"Alright them. The motion carries. Mr. Potter, you are freed of all charges. You may leave."

There was no applause or anything.

It was clear the audience wasn't sure what to make of this.

Harry nodded and got up.

With Sirius by his side and Grit behind him he walked towards the courtroom doors.

He knew he probably shouldn't but he couldn't help it.

At the door he turned around and eyed the gathered people.

All were watching him leave.

There were only a few low murmurs.

He shouldn't be he was still angry.

"Makes you think what else I might have been telling the truth about. You can keep trying to shut me down but it won't work. Today was a prime example."

Then, without another word he turned and together they left.


	7. A little bird told me

Chapter Seven: A little bird told me…

Harry was sitting on the top of the staircase that let straight down to the hallway, so he had a good view over everybody's comings and goings.

In his lap lay an open book about curses with one half being covered by a piece of parchment with his notes on this particular chapter.

Hermione and Ron where sitting on the stairs as well, though Hermione was just casually reading and Ron was drafting his charms essay.

With a sigh, Hermione suddenly closed her book sharply, causing both boys to look up from their tasks.

"Okay, I'll bite" Hermione huffed "Why are we sitting here of all places when we could have gone to the library?" she asked.

Harry closed his book as well.

"It's because they're having another meeting tonight. All the other nights Mrs. Weasley kept us occupied long enough for them to start without us noticing. But not tonight. Tonight, I will be here when everybody arrives and I will be in that room."

"How do you know they have a meeting tonight? They are scheduled at random…" Ron asked.

Harry grinned. "Because your mom came home today with twice the amount of food than usual. Which means she's preparing to cook for a lot of people tonight. That can only mean one thing. Order meeting."

Ron looked almost impressed but Hermione frowned.

"Maybe she just stocked up the pantry…" she suggested.

"She only bought perishables. Not pantry-material."

Hermione suddenly grinned. "Daphne is rubbing off on you, you know that?" she pointed out.

"It's just common sense. You know, the thing so many people lack nowadays?"

"How is Daphne anyway?" Ron asked.

Harry smiled. Six months ago, Ron asking about Daphne's wellbeing would have been a thing of impossibility.

But things had changed a lot recently.

"She's fine. We spent yesterday exploring her family's mansion and then had lunch with her brothers. She then left for the academy and I had a private lesson with Argentum. So, all in all a good day…" he recounted.

Before anyone could say anything else, downstairs the front door opened and with a gust of cold air, several people stepped inside.

They made straight for the stairs leading down to the kitchen and Harry only knew them by sight but they all were order members.

He shot Hermione a triumphant grin but she just rolled her eyes.

"Don't get too excited, you still have to get inside." She pointed out in a low whisper as once more the door opened.

This time it was Kingsley and Moody that came inside.

Moody of course noticed them on their perch high up the stairs.

"Potter, Granger, Weasley." He growled in greeting before shoving past Mr. Weasley, who had stepped out of the living room.

"Nice work in court Harry." Kingsley called out before walking downstairs as well.

Mr. Weasley looked up, saw then and asked: "What are you kids doing there?"

Harry was ready to answer but Hermione was quicker.

In her best innocent voice, she said: "Just some homework…the library was so stuffy, so we came out here." while holding up her book.

"Ah…alright them…Well, you can have the living room while we're downstairs, if you want…" Ron's father offered them.

"That would be great, thanks Mr. Weasley." Hermione said with a radiant smile.

The head of the Weasley family nodded and hurried downstairs.

Ron turned to Hermione.

"You are possibly evil." He announced but his eyes were bright with amusement.

"Daphne might have rubbed off on me but I think spending so much time around the twins has rubbed off on Hermione." Harry noted amused.

Hermione shrugged. "What can I say, I might no approve of their methods, but they work."

Behind them footsteps approached.

Sirius and Remus appeared form around the corner but stopped when they saw the three of them.

"What are you doing?" Sirius asked clearly bewildered.

Harry rose to his feet.

"Waiting for the meeting to start of course." He said casually.

Both men were quiet for a moment.

"Okay…" Sirius said slowly, clearly uncertain what else he should do about it.

Harry beamed.

"I want to come as well." Ron said, jumping to his feet as well.

"Me too." Hermione announced.

"If I wanted to get killed by your mother, I'd let you, but this is not my decision to make." Sirius told Ron, before turning to Hermione. "And you…"

"I have my parents' approval." She said challengingly.

"Can you prove it?" Remus asked with raised eyebrows.

"Can you prove I don't?"

Sirius barked out a laugh, not unlike a dog and shook his head.

"Hermione, I admire your smarts and wit. But I don't think we can let you come anymore than we can let Ron come."

"Don't worry, I'll tell you everything." Harry promised.

Sirius laughed once more while Remus sighed.

With Sirius's arm around his shoulder, Harry walked down the stairs to the kitchen, suddenly slightly nervous.

When they stepped into the room, Harry noticed that already a lot more people had gathered, maybe thirty or so.

Most of them he'd never seen before but there were familiar faces. And he was glad to see them all.

"What is he doing?" here?" sneered someone behind them.

Ah, yes, almost all.

"Good evening Severus." Remus said politely, turning to the potion's professor.

Snape's cold black eyes remained on Harry, seizing him up. He had wondered how long he could avoid the potions master. Obviously not very long.

"Since when have these meetings become a day-care?" he sneered condescendingly.

"Harry has a right to be in on what we do at these meetings, the steps we're taking to take down Voldemort." Sirius growled, his grip on Harrys shoulder becoming tighter.

"We?" Snape asked. "If I recall correctly, the only thing you have done so far is…Hm…I seem to have forgotten…What have you contributed so far, Black?"

Harry could feel Sirius tens up besides him.

It was a soar subject for him after all. Dumbledore hardly ever gave him assignments and Sirius spent most of his days simply attending ministry meetings and keeping a low profile. Harry knew he felt useless.

It was a low blow form Snape's' side.

"Let's not revert to the behaviour of school-days past." said someone behind them.

Ah, speak of the devil…

Dumbledore had appeared.

"But I am afraid that tonight is not a good night for young Harry to join us." He then added.

"Why?" Harry asked.

"While you have made it very clear why you should be allowed to join and have made a good case with convincing arguments, I simply do not see it happening just yet." Dumbledore said placably.

"Meaning?"

"You've had quite an eventful week Harry, I just don't think you need anymore piled up on your plate than necessary." Dumbledore said, obviously evading the real reason.

Harry got ready to argue his case once more, repeating those same arguments but he was interrupted by a harassed looking Xenophilius Lovegood, who stormed into the kitchen.

Harry was surprised to see the man. He had never seen him at Order Meetings before.

He looked around wildly as if searching for something.

"Xeno, my good friend, what brings you here?" Dumbledore asked, though obviously just as surprised to see the man as Harry.

Mr. Lovegood turned to Dumbledore in a swirl of lilac robes, his white hair flying through the air.

"Is she here?" he all but shouted. "My Luna, is she here? She said she was going to meet up with her friends. But she hasn't come back and its late and she's been gone for hours!"

Alarmed Harry perked up. Luna was missing?

But he and her father seemed to be the only people really concerned.

Snape rolled his eyes and Dumbledore had that benevolent smile on his face, as if he was talking to a slow dumb child.

"I'm sure there is nothing to worry about, Ms. Lovegood has many friends, maybe she went to see some of them." He suggested.

Mr. Lovegood shook his head. "No, she has no other human friends than the children in this house."

Snape folded his arms demonstratively and sneered: "Ms. Lovegood has probably just wandered off and forgotten herself in her own mind, like she does during my lessons. She probably just got lost in the woods again. Try looking for her there."

Harry would have loved nothing more than to set his robes on fire. With all that grease covering the man it would probably burn quite brightly.

But he bit his tongue, looking around the room to see what the others would say.

To his dismay most ignored the distressed father and nobody really seemed to care.

The decision was made in a second.

No matter how badly he wanted to be in on the action, his friends would always come first.

"I'll help you look for her." He offered.

That got a reaction.

"Absolutely not. I will not have you wandering around in the dark on your own." Dumbledore said firmly.

"Listen to your headmaster boy." Snape jeered.

Harry ignored his teacher and faced Sirius.

Maybe it was because Snape was there, maybe because Sirius genuinely wanted to help him help Mr. Lovegood. Or maybe Sirius was having a good day.

At any rate he nodded. "Go help Xeno. Just…don't go alone. If the meeting doesn't take too long, I will come and join you."

"I won't be alone. Ron and Hermione will come too and I can call Daphne. Maybe Thomas can come as well or one of her brothers and Mr. Lovegood will be there. We'll be fine. She's my friend and if she's missing, I will help find her. Even if she just got lost in the woods."

"Alright, off you go. But be careful. And no matter what, I want you back by nine the latest! Stay save."

.

Ron and Hermione were in the living room with the twins and Ginny.

They looked surprised to see him.

"Change of plans. Luna is missing, we're going to look for her." Harry said simply, waking over to the fireplace.

"What do you mean missing?" Ron asked.

"What do you mean we?" Fred asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Her father just appeared here, out of his mind with worry. Apparently, she left to see some friends and hasn't been back in hours. And since she's not here either, we're all gonna look for her."

"Maybe she's with other friends?" Fred suggested.

"No offence to Luna, but the people who are her friends, at least the human ones, are in this room right now…except maybe for Daphne. But I'm going to call her now to cross that off the list and enlist her and her uncle and maybe her brothers to help us look for her."

He threw a handful of floo-powder in the fire and called out for the Greengrass Manor.

While he waited the others gathered around him.

"It's Luna, maybe she got distracted by a pretty flower." Ron suggested.

"That is not like her." Harry said, shaking his head.

"We'll find her then, don't worry." Hermione promised, placing one hand on his shoulder comfortingly.

"I'm in too!" Ginny added.

"Me three." Fred nodded.

"And me four." George agreed.

"Awesome." Harry muttered.

Before him the flames roared brightly green and then Daphne's face appeared in the fire.

"Harry? What…oh, hey guys." She said, when she noticed the others. "What's going on?"

"Daphne, is Luna with you? Or do you know where she might be?" Harry asked her urgently.

"Ahm…no. Have you tried her home? Or her father?" Daphne replied slowly.

"He's here. Apparently, she's been missing for a couple of hours now. We're going out to look for her. Are you in? Can one of your brothers come as well? Maybe Thomas too?"

"Missing? How?"

"Does it matter? We need to find her. Mr. Lovegood was really upset. And nobody else is taking this seriously but you know Luna. She wouldn't just disappear like that for hours."

Daphne nodded.

"Yeah, you're right. I'll go see who I can mobilize on my end. Where should I meet you?"

"At the Lovegoods home in Ottery St. Catchpole. Do you know how to get there?" Ginny suggested.

Daphne nodded. "Yeah, alright, I'll meet you there."

With that her head disappeared from the flames and the fire returned to its normal colour.

.

Hurriedly they got dressed and gathered a few supplies that might turn out handy before flooing with Mr. Lovegood to his home.

Their house was exactly as Harry had pictured it, chaotic, colourful and filled with all kinds of strange memorabilia.

"Alright, Mr. Lovegood, when and where did you see Luna last?" Hermione asked, as the others got the lanterns ready.

"This morning. I saw her heading towards the woods from the window in my study. I didn't think much of it, she always does that." Mr. Lovegood moaned.

"Then that should be our first place to search for her." George determined, handing out one lantern to each.

From the chimney a bell-like ringing noise interrupted him.

"That must be Daphne." Harry muttered as Mr. Lovegood opened the floo-connection.

Indeed, Daphne was the first to graciously hop out of the flames, shortly followed by her older brother Alan and her uncle Thomas right behind him.

All three Greengrasses were dressed in dark weather-proof coats and had brought their own lanterns.

Daphne greeted him with a tight hug.

"Any news?" she asked.

"No." he muttered.

"We'll find her Xeno, don't you worry." Thomas assured the other man.

"Thank you for believing me. And helping." The eccentric wizard replied quietly.

"Let's go." Alan said firmly.

.

The woods surrounding Ottery St. Catchpole were thick and wild, not unlike the forbidden forest.

Harry trudged through knee-high heather, the light of his lantern guiding him through the treacherous underground.

To his left and to his right, evenly spaced he could see the light of his friends' lanterns move parallel to him as they searched. They were close enough for Harry to see their lights but not to talk.

Every now and then they would call out for Luna.

Mr. Lovegood had showed them to Lunas favourite places in the woods but she was nowhere to be found.

Now they combed through it methodically.

But the later and the darker it got, the less they could see.

Harry was pulled from his thoughts when his foot slipped and he stumbled into a small bog, about knee high, hidden in the heather.

"God-damn it." He muttered, stepping back and shaking the muddy water from his legs.

His shoes were soaked and the mud squished between his toes.

"Great, just great."

Stepping around the small bog he continued, noticing that he had fallen slightly behind the others.

He set to catch up with them but out of nowhere something small and round collided heavily with his chest, knocking him to the ground with an ' _Uff'_.

The something chirped loudly, dancing on his chest frantically beating its tiny wings.

"Pumpkin?" he groaned, recognizing Lunas little friend.

The golden Snidget chirped some more, grabbing the front of his shirt with his tiny feet, pulling at it as if he wanted to pull Harry back to his feet.

Harry stood up but Pumpkin didn't stop but instead started pulling Harry back the way they'd come.

"Do you know where Luna is?" he asked the bird.

In reply the animal started whistling.

"Where is she? Is she alright?" he asked, unconsciously following the tiny bird.

Pumpkin spun in tight circles though Harry couldn't say if that was a yes or a no or just a thing he did.

So instead he kept following the bird, hoping he would lead him to his missing friend.

.

Pumpkin let him towards a small clearing where he stopped, chirping at the top of his voice.

But Luna was nowhere to be found.

"Great, that's what you get following a bird Harry." He told himself.

He was about to turn around and leave, when something in the bushed rustled.

He stopped, only now realizing that he was alone.

"I should have told someone." He groaned, turning towards the rustling.

Whatever if was, judging by the noise it was making it was bigger than Luna.

Wondering what creatures were indigenous to England, magical or not, Harry pulled out his wand.

"Here's to the next offence. Wonder if I can claim self-defence again…" he muttered.

The rustling got louder and then, straight across the clearing , something moved in the shadows.

Pumpkin, who was so excited by now that he was glowing brightly, whizzed towards it.

The closer he got, the more Harry could see.

He just so suppressed a horrified gasp when the thing stepped into the light of Pumpkins glowing plumage.

There stood a creature Harry had never seen before.

It looked like skeletal horses with reptilian features and huge bat wings. Its pupil-less eyes where white and staring right into the depth of Harry soul.

Slowly it walked towards him.

Harry instinctively took a step back.

The only reason he was not running for the hills right now were one: the thing was probably faster than him and second: Pumpkin had settled down on its head, riding on it towards him.

The animal stopped right in front of him, huffing out warm breaths of air through its nostrils.

Not taking his eyes off it and its beak-like mouth, Harry whispered: "Pumpkin…where is Luna?"

As if in answer, Pumpkin flew from the head of the animal to its back and settled down on it.

Harry instinctively knew what he wanted.

"Oh hell no!" he protested. "I am not getting on the back of some creature I don't know because a bird told me to."

In response Pumpkin started jumping up and down on the creatures back, chirping loudly once more.

"God-damn-it." Harry muttered, slowly walking towards the creature's side.

"I must be out of my mind to go through with this."

Then again, Luna had a fable for strange creatures. And Pumpkin seemed to know where she was.

Wishing he had taken the time to alert one of his friends, Harry carefully put one hand onto the skeletal back.

The thing was surprisingly warm and Harry could feel its hide rising and falling with each breath.

Grapping on tighter he clambered up its back with some difficulty until his legs rested before its wings. Pumpkin fluttered before him, chirping more happily.

"Okay so what n…."

Without warning the creature fell into a gallop, beating its bat-wings, propelling them up and away and this time harry did not manage to supress the terrified yelp that escaped his throat.

Higher and higher they rose until the ground was long forgotten beneath them.

.

.

Riding this dead horse was nothing like riding a broom.

Or like riding Buckbeak.

This was way worse.

Harry held on for dear life as they soared through the clouds, out of sight of the muggles or pretty much any living thing.

Pumpkin was flying ahead of him, leading the way. How he knew where to go, Harry had no idea but his steed followed the golden ball of feathers.

They were both soaking wet and freezing and Harrys hands were hurting from holding on so tightly.

Whatever his dead-horse was, it was fast!

They tore through the sky, the ground below them flew by and within minutes London was just a dark speck in the distance.

Regretting and hoping to make it out of this alive, Harry just tugged his head in and hoped they'd land soon.

.

He startled when his Thestral suddenly dropped several feet, passing through a bank of clouds.

His stomach tingled unpleasantly and his hands clawed into the creatures' neck.

Ahead of him he could see Pumpkin, nosediving towards the ground.

The wind whipped the rain right into his eyes and Harry tried to see where they were headed.

He mostly saw a lot of green and a few fields. And ahead the bell-tower of a church.

They dropped like stones through the early evening sky and Harry closed his eyes when he saw the tops of the trees rushing up towards him.

The landing was surprisingly soft.

The dead-horse touched down and galloped a few meters on before gradually slowing down.

When he opened his eyes, Pumpkin dancing before his nose.

Slowly Harry slid off the Thestrals back but the second his feet touched the ground his knees buckled and he only just so managed to stay upright.

"Well…that was different…" he managed to say through chattering teeth.

The dead-horse-creature shook it head and started to wander off.

"Hey, where are you going? How will I get back?" Harry shouted indignantly, taking a few wabbly steps after it.

But Pumpkin had other idea, clutching a strange of his hair and pulling him towards the edge of the forest where he could make out rows of houses.

"Is this where she is?" Harry asked, untangling the bird from his hair.

Pumpkin did a small summersault in the air.

"I will interpret that as a yes." Harry sighed. "Right, lead the was on then."

.

Wherever this was where Pumpkin had let him, it was a tiny village, centred around a church with a graveyard adjuring it.

When he emerged from the edge of the woods, he immediately came onto a small road that let onto the main road.

He walked past a bakery and a butcher's shop before they reached a small plaza.

In the middle stood a statue on a pedestal. It was a man in armour holding a sword high in the air while a lion lay at his feet.

"I know that statue. A similar one stand on the second floor at Hogwarts." Harry whispered, not quite sure who to.

Stepping closer he tried to read the inscription on the stone but centuries of weather and wind had gnawed on it so much it was hard to discern anything.

Giving in to Pumpkins shrill chirping he abandoned the statue and followed the bird.

He new they had arrived when the Snidget let him around a corner and he came onto a long street that at the end of it let back into the woods.

A cold wind rushed through the rows of houses towards them and almost knocked them over.

Somehow this street seemed different.

Darker, as if tainted…

Slowly he walked down the sidewalk, keeping an eye out for any muggles. Or worse.

Pumpkin let him to the last house on the left side.

Harrys breath froze in his lungs.

He had seen pictures of this house before.

One with his parents standing in front of it, his mother holding his baby self and another of James and Sirius when they were his age, chilling on the stairs before the house.

"Godrics Hollow…" he muttered "I'm….I'm in Godrics Hollow."

But the house in front of him was not that same house.

This house was dark and the garden was wild.

The stairs leading up to the front door were cracked and most of the shutters on the windows were broken and only hanging on by one hinge.

Windows were broken and the front door wasn't properly closed.

But most devastating was the gaping hole in the roof and side of the house.

And overall had the elements chewed on this house for the past fourteen years.

It was a ruin.

Harry wanted to turn around on the spot and leave but Pumpkin flew straight towards the hole in the roof and disappeared inside.

Cursing his own foolishness, Harry slowly stepped closer towards the garden-gate.

He stopped when he noticed a strange shimmer in the air that seemed to stretch like a dome all around and over the house.

"What is that?" he wondered quietly.

He concentrated, forcing his magic down so that his eyes might be deceived by the magical charm.

The dreary broken house disappeared and, in its stead, stood a charming little cottage with a straw roof and bright red bricks. Flowers bloomed on the lawn in front of it and even though the shutters were closed it looked inviting.

For a brief second Harrys mind wandered off to a different time and place. A place, where his parents hadn't died and he had grown up here.

How different would his life have been?

He cut his own musings short.

It does not do well to dwell on what might have been. That was hat Dumbledore had said to him after the Mirror of Erised.

He let his magic go again and the illusion washed away, revealing reality once more to him.

He really didn't want to go inside.

But he knew he had to.

.

The garden gate opened with a long whining 'creak'.

The grass had grown over the small stone path that led to the door and brushed against his knees.

He reached the door and gently pushed against it.

To his horror it toppled to the ground with a loud crash and a cloud of dust rose from the ground inside.

He cringed at the loud noise and looked around but the houses on the street remained dark and undisturbed.

Turning back to the house and peeking into the darkness beyond, Harry gave himself one last chance to turn around.

He didn't.

.

The inside of the house was just as run down and broken as the outside.

Once his eyes adjusted to the gloom, the dreariness of the place sunk in more deeply.

The wallpaper peeled off the walls, everything was wet and the smell of mould and mildew hung thick in the air.

The floor creaked, was riddled with holes and the wind blew cold through the broken windows.

But aside from that the house looked like it hadn't been touched since the day his parents had died.

The kitchen table was laid, ready for dinner. On the stove stood a pot with the dried and moulded remains of food in it.

The herb-garden on the windowsill was dried up and dead and the branches of a bush outside had broken through the window, sprouting into the kitchen.

A half rotten blanket lay forgotten on the half-rotten sofa in the living room and an empty cup of tea stood on the coffee table next to a folded pair of glasses.

There was a piano in the back with music papers still resting on top of it.

And then there were the pictures.

Along the walls hung dozens of them, all framed up.

Most of them had rotten as well or had turned yellow and none of them moved anymore.

But they were real people, real people who had been friends of his parents.

His parents, who had really lived here.

For the first time Harry felt like his parents had actually been real.

This…this was their house, this was their stuff!

They weren't these far away people he knew off, suddenly they were his parents.

Suddenly they were real, for the first time in fourteen years!

As he stepped towards a wall to look at some of the pictures more closely, his foot brushed against something and a soft tingling noise disrupted the silence.

He looked down.

In the dirt and grime on the floor lay a small round toy.

It was a kind of plushie-snitch, ten times the size of a real snitch. The golden colour was long gone and its once soft wings were crusted with all kinds of dirt.

But when he picked it up, something, probably a bell, inside of it, shimmied once more.

He gently shook it once more and again the sound broke the silence.

And somehow this little thing broke something within him.

To the rest of the world, his parents were heroes, taken before their time and Harry was just another orphan of a war.

But nobody really ever understood that they had been his parents first and foremost.

The pain, so old and a constant companion since he was old enough to understand what having dead parents meant, hit Harry so hard, it took his breath away.

The snitch fell to the ground.

"Where are you Luna? Why have you let me here?" he wondered aloud.

As if replying, Pumpkin appeared, a ball of golden light and chirped at him.

Then he turned and flew towards the back of the house.

The glow of his feathers travelled down the hallway and long shadows followed in his wake.

Not very thrilled about going on, Harry followed, reluctantly.

.

The Snidget let him to the stairs and flew upwards, hoovering at the top stair.

Harry eyed the staircase critically. It was had fallen in disrepair, just like the rest of the house and he wasn't sure they'd hold his weight.

Nevertheless he climbed them up, one step at a time.

When he reached the upper floor, he found himself at the beginning of a long hallway from which to both sides' doors let to different rooms.

At the end of the hallway lay a lot of debris and parts of the roof.

That was where on the outside the hole must have been.

And Pumpkin was heading straight towards it.

.

Harry knew which room this was before he even stepped through the doorway or at least what was left of it.

This was his nursery.

This was where it had happened.

This was where Voldemort had confronted his mother and she had stepped between him and Harry, taking the killing curse head on.

And then Voldemort had turned to him, not knowing that by sacrificing herself, Lily Potter have given her son the most effective and ancient protection of all.

And he had been torn to pieces while Harry got away with a scar on his forehead and a story that would change his life forever.

The evidence of what a tremendous amount of magic had been unleashed here was all around them.

The roof and most of the outside wall as well as the walls inside had been blown apart, debris littering their surroundings.

The walls were scorched as if they had been burned.

Most of the furniture had been turned to rubble.

Only one piece was still almost completely intact.

The crib.

And right in front of that crib, that seemed to have been spared by magic and elements alike, knelt none other than Luna Lovegood.

For a second Harry forgot where they were and with a sigh a relief he hurried towards her.

"Luna, oh thank Merlin I found you." He sighed, falling to his knees next to her.

"Hello Harry. You finally made it. I wasn't sure you'd find me." She said evenly.

But something was off about her.

He was used to her being…well…dreamy and not-always-quite-there-with-her-thoughts.

But this was different. She seemed to be in trance.

Her eyes seemed clouded and not focused.

"You mean you sent Pumpkin and that dead-horse-thingy for me? Luna, your father is worried, we all are. We thought something might have happened to you." He protested.

"I'm fine." She muttered, still not looking at him.

Defeated, Harry dropped his head.

"Luna…what are we doing here?" he whispered now slightly desperate.

"I…don't know." She admitted. "There's something here. Something you needed to see. To know… Go on, you can feel it."

Her strange mood and behaviour seemed to upset Pumpkin as well because the light of his feathers died down.

The shadows grew longer by the second and Harry closed his eyes, not wanting to see more.

Instead he sent out a tendril of his magic, searching for the magic Luna was feeling.

She was right.

He could feel it.

Two sets of magic, as different as day and night, were roaming around the room, like trapped ghosts.

They struck blows against each other, recoiling back, only to strike again.

They were everywhere but the white, pure and light magic centred around the crib.

"The crib…" Luna mumbled.

"I see it." Harry confirmed.

Luna reached towards the wood and her hand closed around one of the bars.

Almost immediately she went rigid and her head craned backwards, her eyes wide open, her mouth, twisted as if in pain.

Instinctively, Harry reached out, calling her name.

His hand touched hers and his vision blacked out.

.

Suddenly he wasn't in the destroyed nursery anymore, he was in Hogwarts, in the headmaster's office.

But everything was slightly unfocused and nothing really seemed solid. Neither did the people in the room. It was like visiting a memory.

Dumbledore, looking slightly younger but very tired stood before his desk. Across from him stood James and Lily.

Harry stared at them.

They too looked tired. James was holding a bundle of blankets that Harry recognised as his baby-self.

" _Are you sure it's us Albus?"_ Lily asked but her voice was strangely distorted.

" _No. But you are the most likely. But I put the Longbottom's into hiding just in case."_

Lily looked broken.

" _No, not our Harry."_ She whispered.

James adjusted his grip on baby-Harry so that he could put a comforting hand around his wife's shoulders.

Lily leaned into the touch, her gaze fixed on her baby.

Around Harry the world dissolved and he found himself back in the nursery but this time it wasn't destroyed.

Lily was kneeling before the crib in which Harry saw himself.

Lily was crying _._

" _Harry, you are loved. Do you hear me. You are so loved. Harry daddy loves you. And momma loves you so much. Harry be strong. You have to be strong."_

Behind her the door flew of its hinges.

Harry swirled around just like Lily. She was holding her wand but her hand was shaking.

A hooded figure stepped into the room.

It stopped and pale hands rose to lift the hood.

Harry knew this was Voldemort.

But it was Voldemort before his soul was torn from his body, before he had to flee to Albania, before he latched onto Quirrell and fed of unicorns.  
This was Voldemort when he had been human.

And somehow, he was more terrifying like this.

He was handsome with his aristocratic features and jet-black hair.

His cold calculating eyes fell from Lily onto the crib behind her and his lips curled upwards into a horrible smile.

" _Step aside."_

His voice…it was sharp and clear. Cold and demanding.

Lily fired a spell at him but it bounced off an invisible shield.

Voldemort narrowed his eyes and with a flick of his own hand Lily's wand flew from her hand.

" _You foolish girl. Step aside. Lord Voldemort is feeling gracious tonight. Step aside and you will walk away from here."_

" _Where…where is James?"_

But she must have known the answer already.

" _In my new world I might let you remarry another pureblood. You are gifted after all. Your children will make fine Deatheaters one day. But only if you step aside."_

Lily shook her head.

" _Never." She swore._

Harry knew she had been brave. But this…this was a whole new kind of bravery.

Voldemort sneered.

" _This is your final chance. Step aside."_

Defiantly Lily Potter stood her ground.

" _You want my son? Over my dead body."_ She whispered.

" _As you wish. Avada Kedavra!"_

Harry couldn't help it. He screamed as the bolt of green light hit his mother in the chest and she toppled to the ground. But no sound left his throat.

Horrified he watched as Voldemort turned to the baby in the crib.

" _You will not vanquish me. I will reign forever."_ Voldemort whispered.

Slowly he raised his wand.

" _Avada Kedavra."_

The curse flew towards baby-Harry but the moment it connected an explosion ripped through the room, pushing the dark curse away from baby-Harry and into Voldemort.

A wave of pure white protective light swept through the room and burned through the dark Lord's body.

He screamed and a cloud of black smoke detached itself from his burning form. It swirled through the room, knocking into things, tearing down walls, before heading towards baby-Harry.

It rushed towards him, trying to engulf him but the white magic fought it off, chasing it around the room once more.

In fascinated horror Harry watched as they clashed, over and over, the white magic trying so hard to protect the crib, wrapping itself around his baby self.

Another otherworldly scream shook the foundations of the house. The cloud of darkness rose and fled through the hole in the roof.

And then the world dissolved once more.

He was back in Dumbledore's office and the man in question stood almost exactly where he had stood when he had talked to Lily and James.

But this time he was facing a dark corner in the back of the room.

" _We have to make sure he is ready. We have to protect him, do you hear me? Harry is our only chance."_

Who was he talking to?

Nothing in the shadows moved or talked but Dumbledore's shoulders sagged with relief.

" _She'd be proud of you. I know it."_

A rustle of robes came from the dark corner.

" _We'll talk more later."_ Dumbledore announced, walking towards the door of his office.

" _For now…let's go and celebrate with our students."_

And again the word faded around him.

Harry found himself standing in total darkness.

That was, until ahead of him a small light flickered into existence.

It grew from a tiny speck into a small orb, about the size of his fist.

It hoovered there.

"That was in my dreams."

He jumped.

"Luna?" he asked.

Somehow, she had appeared right next to him.

She pointed at the orb.

"Can you hear that?" she asked.

Harry frowned, stepping closer towards the light.

She was right.

There was a voice coming from the light.

 _"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have powers the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..."_

It kept on repeating itself, its voice growing louder until it all but roared, echoing through the dark space around us so loud that Harry and Luna had to cover their ears.

Harry reached out for Luna, feeling her presence more than seeing her, he clasped his hand around her upper arm and the sensation of falling overcame him.

A second later his back hit hard wooden floors, driving the air out of his lungs, his grip on Luna's bicep loosening und there was nothing but silence around them, except for their harsh breaths.

They were back in the nursery.

It was dark all around them.

It had started to rain.

.

Harry got to his feet, Luna just a second behind him.

"What…was that?" he asked.

She looked at him with huge eyes, the cloudiness he had noticed earlier, gone.

She looked around confused.

"Harry? Where are we?" she whispered, stepping closer to him, seeking comfort at his side.

His shoulder sagged.

"We're…we're in Godrics Hollow Luna. Don't you remember? You let me here?"

She looked very confused and scared.

"The last I remember was visiting the Thestrals. A herd of them live close to our house. And then…the vision…"

"These Thestrals…they don't happen to be huge skeletal-like horses with wings?"

"Yes?"

Harry sighed. "I'll fill you in later. We should go."

She nodded. "Yeah. This place…it is dark." She whispered.

.

They all but fled from the house and Harry didn't dare to look back.

His head had started pounding the second they had returned from that…vision or whatever it was.

Bolts of electricity shot through his brain and the pressure behind his eyes was almost unbearable. But he kept running.

They stormed through the open gate, up the street, around the corner and only stopped running when they reached the church.

They collapsed on the stairs leading up to the front portal.

For minutes they just sat there, taking deep breaths, trying to understand what had happened.

Then Harry filled her in on everything hat had happened in the time she had blacked out.

He finished with telling her how he'd found her in the nursery.

"Well…and you remember what happened then, right?"

She nodded.

"That…I can't believe it. That was a real prophecy! And it was for you!" Luna then whispered, staring at him in disbelief.

"What?" Harry asked, crunching his eyebrows in confusion.

"A prophecy Harry. This…this is huge!" Luna whispered.

"But I thought prophecies weren't real."

"They are and they are not that rare actually. But finding the one about you, that is rare! Most people aren't even aware they have a destiny."

Harry groaned, pressing the heels of his hands into his eyes.

"How all of that happen anyway?" he asked. "What _did_ we actually see there?"

Luna bit her lip. "Sometimes" she began "when there's a lot of residual magic, you can tap into it. You magic, it's like your fingerprint. It's one of a kind and every time you do magic, a little bit stays behind, like a scent. And if you tap into it you can identify who it belonged to. It gives you insight into the person. Not much, usually just a face or a voice or a short memory of what the spell was used for. But in cases like this, where there is a lot of magic still lingering, it can give you more."

"Do you think others who have been here have seen it?" Harry asked, shivering slightly at the thought.

Luna shook her head.

"No. Only Seers and sometimes Sensitives can tap into residues well enough to extract information from it."

"Like you?" Harry asked.

She nodded. "I…I have a strong feeling for magical hotspots. And I think that's why I've come here. It must have been calling out for me. That place was…I don't know…brimming with magic. I'm surprised people never inspected it more closely."

"I'm glad they didn't."

She took his hand.

"Hey, it's okay."

He took a deep breath.

"So…a prophecy. That's huge?"

"Immensely!" she agreed. "Harry, you have been told your destiny. This…this changes everything, this might give you an advantage over the Dark Lord!"

Harry jumped to his feet.

"Luna…I don't even understand half of what I just saw and heard!" he huffed, pacing up and down the length of step on which she sat.

His head was still hurting.

"Well…Let's go through it then. First line. _'The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies.'_ You were born on July thirty-first, the last day of the seventh month. And your parents famously faced down the Dark Lord and his followers several times before you were born."

Harry didn't know much about that.

Sirius didn't like talking about the war for obvious reasons.

Harry knew his parents had defied Voldemort and his followers and they had fought side by side with many great wizards and witches to oppose him.

"Second line: _'and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal'_. That must refer to the scar on your head. He marked you when he tried to kill you. You all but destroyed him, something many thought impossible. I guess that kind of makes you his equal…"

Harry snorted.

Voldemort had marked him in more ways than the lightning bolt scar on his forehead. There was the basilisk-bite or most recently the scar that ran along the length of his forearm from when Wormtail had drawn his blood for the resurrection ritual. Not to forget all the mental scars Voldemort had inflicted on him over the years.

"Third part: _'but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not'_ I'm not sure of that one. Maybe it's a hint as to what might be needed to defeat him. Some kind of power…Or maybe a weapon…" Luna mused on.

 _Or my mother's protection_ , Harry thought.

"And then that last part _'and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives'_."

She stopped and looked at him.

She didn't have to tell him that that probably wasn't something good.

"One of us has to die ultimately." Harry said.

"It also means that you are the only one who can kill him." Luna added quietly.

Harry flopped back down on the step and buried his face in his hands.

"So this is literally, what I was born to do? To kill him?" He moaned. "I mean…I knew I was going to fight him eventually again. I accept that. I want that, I want to be a part in this war because…he needs to be stopped. But this…this is so much more. So much worse!"

He shook his head.

Luna edged closer to him.

"We can figure this out." She promised. "But…I don't think we should tell too many people of this…It's dangerous knowledge."

Harry nodded absentmindedly.

"I think we should get back by the way. Sirius will have my head for leaving the search party." he added.

Luna nodded, stood up, dusted of the bottom of her jeans and held out her hand to help him up.

They walked down steps of the church and past the cemetery towards the woods where had last seen the Thestral.

.

.

Luna didn't remember how she'd gotten to Godrics Hollow but it became clear when they stepped into the clearing and saw two Thestrals grazing side by side.

"At some point you have to tell me how you befriended these things well enough for one to offer me a ride to come and find you." Harry muttered as he clambered up the back of the animal.

The flight back to Ottery St. Catchpole was uneventful, though cold and wet.

They touched down on the foot of the hill on which Lunas home stood.

Inside the lights were burning and shadows moved behind the curtains.

"My dad will be pretty mad." Luna whispered.

"No, my father will be mad. Yours will be glad to see you alive and well." Harry corrected her.

She looked had him funnily.

"What?" he asked.

"You've been doing that a lot recently."

"Doing what?"

"Calling Sirius your father."

Harry blushed.

"I think it's great."

"Yeah, well…we'll see…" Harry muttered, not sure what to say.

They walked up to the front door and Harry knocked.

Almost a second later it was torn open by a ruffled, slightly unhinged looking Mr. Lovegood.

But upon seeing his daughter, the tension fell from his shoulders and he fell to his knees, pulling her into a tight embrace.

Behind him, Harrys friends appeared and their worried expressions faded when they saw him.

"Good timing mate, we were about to call Sirius to admit that we had lost you." Ron admitted.

"No need for drastic measures. Let's just agree to not tell him I was gone. I'm fine after all" and then with a side-glance at Luna he added: "We both are. "

"Yeah, but where were you?" Hermione asked.

"Tell you later. Let's just floo home. I need a hot shower and food. And I think so do you."

.

Returning to Grimmauld place after everything that had just happened and finding everything the way it was with the Order meeting still going on was…strange.

As if time had stopped.

Sirius must have been notified by their arrival because he stepped out quickly to see if they were okay.

Since they were all wet and muddy and miserable looking, Harry didn't fall out of line much.

"Is everything okay? Did you find her?" he asked.

Harry nodded.

"Yeah…she'd just gotten lost. She's fine." Ginny assured him.

"Okay…" Sirius said slowly, his gaze dragging over each their faces.

"We're just gonna go shower and put on dry clothes." Hermione added.

"Okay…" Sirius said again, his gaze coming to a stop on Harry.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, just…just a long night." He tried attempting to evade a real answer.

"Okay." With that Sirius walked back towards the kitchen and they were left alone.


	8. You know me so well

Chapter Eight: You know me so well

"Never let it be said that I run away from chores." Ron grinned as he put another plate in the cupboard.

Hermione rolled her eyes from where she was wiping down the table.

"That is because you're using your powers to do the chores for you." She muttered.

"I don't know what you mean." Ron said, still grinning as his hand burst into flames, evaporating the water on the plate.

Harry handed him a new one from where he stood at the sink, scrubbing the remains of dinner from the silverware.

"You have to admit Hermione; this cuts our time like… in half." He pointed out.

"Not if he ends up burning down the kitchen. Or worse the entire house with us in it." she muttered, not bothering to look at them. More forceful than strictly necessary she shoved the chair under the table.

"I don't know, I think getting expelled is worse than dying, don't you agree?" Harry stage-whispered to Ron, who burst out laughing.

That wasn't the only thing to burst out of him.

The fire on his hand roared up, licking the cabinets on the wall, leaving a dark stain.

Ron yelped, Hermione cursed like a sailor and Harry did the only thing that seemed logical.

Grabbing a part of Rons' arm that was not burning he plunged his friends' entire arm into the water in the sink.

The flames didn't die.

"Turn it off." Harry urged Ron.

"I'm trying."

"Try harder!" Hermione hissed.

"Everything alright in here?"

Swirling around and moving quickly to block Ron from view, Harry and Hermione faced Sirius simultaneously.

"Ahm…nothing…" Harry promised, still keeping Ron's arms submerged in the dirty water of the sink behind his back.

Sirius frowned.

"What are you doing?" he asked, slightly suspicious.

"Playing a game." Hermione burst out, edging even closer to Harry until they stood shoulder to shoulder, effectively blocking Sirius's view of Ron further.

"Ron lost so now he has to keep his hand in the dirty dish-water for another minute but he was trying to cheat so Harry had to restrain him." She mumbled.

"What kind of game is this?" Sirius asked, clearly bewildered.

"Truth or Dare." Hermione and Harry said immediately.

"Okay…" Sirius said slowly. "Carry on then…I guess?"

He retreated slowly back up the stairs, not without looking back at them one last time.

As soon as they were sure he was out of earshot Harry and Hermione turned back to Ron. The fire hat gone out at some point so it was safe to let him take his arm out of the sink.

"Urgh…that is disgusting." he moaned as he picked soggy pieces of leftovers from his arm.

"Could have been a lot worse." Hermione snapped.

"Yeah Ron, when I said dying wasn't that bad, I didn't mean for you to kill us instantly." Harry laughed. Then he turned to Hermione and added: "And how did you know what I was going to say?"

She rolled her eyes. "Oh please, there's nothing I don't know about you two." She said dismissively.

"Nothing?" Ron asked with a raised eyebrow as Harry sniggered.

"This isn't a joke Harry." Hermione snapped at him, ignoring Ron.

"Look Hermione, you have to admit that even you have hit a dead end in your research. At some point books won't give us an answer. If I want to control my power, I actually have to use them." Ron pointed out.

"Or talk to a grown-up who might know what the hell is going on with you. I'm just…I don't want you to get hurt or accidentally hurt someone else." She muttered, running a hand through her hair.

"Hey, I'm careful." Ron said with his arms open wide.

Hermione just pointed at the burned cabinet.

"Okay, but that's wood, wood is supposed to burn." Ron tried to defend himself.

She shook her head. "You'll see Ron, I will find something that will help us with…this…!" she promised.

.

.

The next morning marked the last week of the summer holidays and for the first time Harrys thoughts returned to Hogwarts and the school year ahead of him.

How was he supposed to concentrate on things like Charms and Potions and History of Magic when there was a secret war going on? Did they really expect him to just go to classes and let them handle everything?

Apparently, they did but while everybody else was allowed to go to Diagon Ally to get their supplies, Sirius offered to go in his stead.

Well, offered was the wrong word.

Sirius had told him and that was pretty much the end of that conversation.

"Why can't I go? I've been out before and in Diagon Ally since Voldemort's return. Why can't I go today?" he asked, moodily stabbing a piece of toast with his butter-knife.

"Because the holidays are almost over and Diagon Ally will be run over with parents and students and I'm not risking anything. It'll be crowded, the perfect place for an ambush." Sirius said, putting a plate of sliced apples down in front of him.

Harry rolled his eyes and continued stabbing the piece of bread harder.

"This is ridiculous!" he pointed out.

"It's just for the afternoon Harry. And stop playing with your food." Remus reminded him.

"I'm not playing, I'm practicing." Harry muttered.

"Practicing what?" Hermione asked, who was just sitting down across from him.

"The minister, Voldemort, the Deatheaters, take your pick." He replied moodily.

God, he felt awful.

He hadn't slept at all last night between nightmares of endless corridors and locked doors and recurring memories of the prophecy and of course Voldemort taunting him in his dreams. And then the Daily Prophet had once again been filled with bullshit to the brim with Fudge lying like he was trying for a new World Record.

So all in all the day hadn't started off great.

A buzz, like a swarm of bees, was filling his ears and there was a painful pressure behind his eyes like.

"You're in a right mood…" Ron muttered.

He wasn't wrong.

Harry had managed to snap at everyone before breakfast had started.

And he didn't feel like changing now.

"Whatever. Have fun. I hope there will be long lines for you to wait in." Harry replied, pushing his chair back harder than necessary.

After disposing of his left-overs he wandered upstairs into his bedroom.

Through the open door he could hear the others getting ready downstairs and eventually leave.

The buzz in his ears intensified and his scar started throbbing.

Sitting on his bed he realized that he was all alone in the house for the first time.

For a second, he thought of maybe taking the bus to go and see Gina and the others but quickly threw that idea aside when he saw the heavy rain battering the windows outside. Daphne was at the Academy today so no hanging out with her either.

Besides, Sirius would probably be alerted if he left the house.

So what was he supposed to do on his own for the rest of the afternoon?

Well, he wasn't completely on his own, Kreacher was somewhere in the house, probably lurking in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to insult him.

Great.

He could already see that this was going to be a long morning.

.

He found himself back in the living room, trailing his fingers gently over the yellow keys of the old Grand Piano in the corner.

Hermione had taken to playing a few times these past weeks.

It had been ages since he had played himself.

While being babysat by Ms. Fig had never been fun, she did do her best make it bearable most times when she wasn't showing off her collection of cats.

Teaching him French and a few songs from her childhood on the piano being the most memorable things.

Slowly he sat down on the stool, placing his fingers in the same manner she had taught him and gently, carefully pressed down on the first key.

The tone echoed through the room and died away when he released the pressure.

Slowly he pressed down again, adding another from his right hand, followed by more key-strokes.

The melody was wonky and not at the right pace but you could still recognize it.

There had been lyrics that went along with the melody but Harry didn't remember them.

Instead he just hummed along as he replayed the same two cords over and over, gaining confidence with each time.

He was so immersed in his playing that he didn't notice the figure stepping form the shadows until it stood right next to him.

Harry flinched, his hands slipping from the keys.

The melody cut off abruptly.

"Merlin, Kreacher, you gave my quite a scare!" he heaved, one hand placed onto his chest.

Kreachers' eyes were fixated on the piano, his lips trembling.

Was he crying?

"Play it again." the elf whispered.

"What?" Harry asked confused.

"Play it again!" Kreacher all but shouted.

Hastily Harry placed his fingers back onto the keys.

The first few strokes were clumsy but then he found his rhythm and the melody evened out.

Harry eyed Kreacher from the corner of his eyes.

"Sing." The elf instructed him.

"I…I don't know the words anymore…" Harry admitted softly.

To his surprise the elf started to sing for him.

It was by far not a pleasant sound. But the elf sang and his hypnotic gaze never left Harrys hands as they moved over the keys one by one.

As the elf sang, Harrys memories about the song slowly returned and he recognized the familiar words.

Slowly he started to sing along.

The song ended and Harry let the last tune fade away before releasing the key.

Kreacher turned to look at him and tears welled up in his eyes.

Without prompting him to, he began to talk.

"Kreacher sang that song to Master Regulus when he was just a wee baby. It was the only thing that could ever calm his crying."

Regulus, Sirius's younger brother…that was a topic that hardly ever came up in the house.

Harry of course knew about him and he remembered all to good how Kreacher had reacted when Harry had almost entered Regulus's room last summer on accident. It obviously wasn't a soar topic just for Sirius.

"What…what happened to him? Sirius says…he got in over his head with the Deatheaters and tried to run and they…killed…." Harry began but Kreacher snarled.

"The blood-traitor doesn't know anything! He left! He abandoned his own flesh and blood. And now he dares to spread lies! Master Regulus would never run! He was a good master and a good wizard. The only one Kreacher has ever known!" the elf roared.

Harry edged away from the irate creature.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know. What happened to him then?" he asked carefully.

"Kreacher cannot say it. Kreacher vowed to not say anything." The elf muttered, his long and gnarled bony fingers hovering over the piano keys once more.

"That's okay, Kreacher, you don't have to tell me if you can't or won't." Harry said gently.

Kreacher nodded, turned around and walked away.

And Harry wondered what the hell had just happened.

Another mystery to add to the ever-growing pile of _'What-the-hells?'_.

.

He kept on pacing through the house like a caged tiger, going from room to room, back and forth, bored and restless.

Finally, he returned to his room and collapsed on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.

The buzzing had returned.

.

 _Next thing he knew he wasn't in his bedroom at Nr. 12 Grimmauld Place but in a cold stone room with vaulted ceilings, marble floors and portraits of blond men and women on the walls._

 _He recognized it as the sitting room at Malfoy manor, the one in which he, Victor and Elijah had battled the Deatheaters for Isaacs freedom._

 _But nothing in the room reminded of that fight._

 _The gaping hole in the ground had been sealed and all marks of spell fire were gone._

 _Instead a long table took up the room with a throne-like chair at the head and simpler chairs with high backs down the side._

 _And right now, all these chairs were occupied by people in black robes and in the throne-like chair sat the Dark Lord himself._

 _But there were more people gathered in the room, standing off to the sides, hidden in the shadows. Many had hoods covering their faces._

 _Wrapped around his shoulders and resting partly on the table was his gigantic snake Nagini._

 _Her tongue would flicker out of her mouth every few seconds, ghosting over Voldemort's face and neck and arms as she wound herself further around him._

 _If her weight bothered him the dark wizard didn't show it._

 _Instead he petted her had with a long skeletal finger while further down the table a wizard ranted._

" _We should strike while we have the element of surprise on our side. Nobody suspects anything, they think Potter is lying. The Minister is too scared and there is virtually nothing standing against us."_

" _Except Dumbledore and his little club do-gooders." sneered another wizard._

 _He was thin and had a long-braided ponytail._

 _Harry recognized him. His name was Yaxly and he was as evil as he was handsome._

" _They don't match our force." the other Deatheater countered._

" _We don't have the numbers yet. If we strike it should be well coordinated and sure to succeed. Otherwise we give away any advantages we might have." said a familiar voice._

 _Lucius Malfoy sat close to the Dark Lord, looking very healthy and smug._

" _Lucius has a point." Silence fell over the gathered crowd and all heads turned to Voldemort from where he had spoken._

" _First we must acquire more subjects. Now is not the time to be picky. Get whoever you can. And of course, our little operation should be moved forward. How are preparations for our field-trip going?" he whispered but it was loud enough to carry through the silent room._

 _A bulky man rose from the far end of the table._

 _He bowed at Voldemort before explaining: "Preparations are almost complete. I expect to carry forward with our motion within the fortnight."_

" _That is good."_

 _The Deatheater sat back down, visibly relieved that his words had pleased the Dark Lord._

 _Something moved in the corner of Harrys eyes and he caught the sight of Narcissa Malfoys blond hair._

 _He hadn't noticed her before._

 _She was standing in the shadows of one of the grand fireplaces, eyes surveying the gathered crowd._

 _She was pale and her eyes looked sunken in._

 _She looked exhausted._

 _Of course, the Dark Lord and his underlings crashing in your house was not exactly a pleasant thing._

 _She was doing her best not to be seen, standing so far away from her husband._

 _Harry watched as she reached up to tuck away a strand of her hair that had gotten lose and immediately noticed the dark bruises on her wrists. She had lost weight as well._

 _He felt a twang of pity._

 _Narcissa was a complicated character, full of contradicting traits and, as he was sure, always after her own agenda._

 _Which was exactly why Harry wasn't too keen on helping her._

 _And yet seeing her like this…_

.

He blinked and suddenly he was back at Grimmauld Place, lying of the floor besides his bed, head throbbing and everything was spinning.

With a slight moan he sat up, rubbing his face, hissing when he touched his scar and it sent new waves of pain through his head.

He stumbled to his feet and towards the judgemental mirror.

His face was chalk-white and against that his scar burned red.

But how? In the past his scar hurting had warned him of Voldemort being close by but he couldn't be!

Was it because of what he's just seen?

And what exactly had that been?

It had felt similar to his dreams before Voldemort's return and his experience in Godrics Hollow with Luna but he was no seer, he couldn't do stuff she could!

Shaking the pain and confusion from his befuddled mind, he left the room in a haste, trying to find something to distract him from the throbbing pain and racing thoughts.

His goal had been the second-floor bathroom but the room he found himself in was unfamiliar to him. Still it made him stop when he looked around.

It was almost empty but the walls were covered by what looked like a tapestry, spanning in a circle around the walls of the room, heavy and dusty.

The tapestry itself looked immensely old; it was faded and looked as though doxies had gnawed it in places; but the golden thread with which it was embroidered still glinted brightly enough to show him a sprawling family tree dating back, as far as Harry could tell, to the Middle Ages.

But in some places faces and names had been burned away, leaving ugly holes in the tapestry.

He stepped up to what looked like the most recent part of the tree.

He spotted Walburga Black right away and the branches that let away from her.

The first one let straight to a brunt hole under which Harry could just make out the name "Sirius Orion Black".

What a charming woman she must have been for burning her sons face off the family tree.

The second branch coming form her let to the face of a young man, who bore a striking resemblance to Sirius.

Even if there hadn't been a name underneath the portrait Harry would have known him as Regulus Black, Sirius' younger brother.

Kreacher's reaction earlier had left Harry puzzled, but Regulus wasn't the only Black he was interested anymore.

This whole family had secrets and he felt like they would be playing a big role in the battles yet to come.

Three of them in particular.

Next to the brothers, coming from a different branch were those three faces next to each other, yet one was burned off again.

Oldest to youngest their names read Bellatrix, Andromeda and Narcissa.

But Andromedas face had been burned off.

Still, the Black Sisters were all too familiar to him.

Andy and her family had been a welcome addition to his own new family. Like Sirius she had, in the eyes of her family, turned out a Blood-Traitor by falling in love and marrying a muggle, Ted Tonks.

As far as he knew, Andy hadn't talked to Narcissa since she had been kicked out of the family a good twenty years ago and hadn't seen Bellatrix since her trial where she had represented the Longbottom-family. She had been part of her sister's life-long sentence to Azkaban. Either you really had to hate your family to do so or you were really detached.

At least with Bellatrix, her husband a few other nastier Deatheaters still detained in Azkaban they had few enemies to be concerned about.

His gaze turned slightly and lingered somewhat longer on Narcissa.

The face stitched into the tapestry resembled her real life self but it was hard to capture the essence of someone like Narcissa. That woman had so many sides to her that Harry still wasn't sure if he'd made the right decision concerning her and her request.

He hadn't heard from her since the beginning of the summer, despite writing he multiple times via their shared parchment.

She was still alive, attending Wizengamot meetings in her husband's stead, according to Sirius but even those had gotten fewer and fewer.

Apparently, Malfoy Sr. was "sick" and not able to attend to his regular duties and she was taking care of him.

Harry had called bullshit on that the second he heard it but nobody around him really disagreed with him so that was that…

But Narcissa was still a matter that didn't give him any peace.

He had made her a promise. But right now, he was making a pro/con list in his head on whether he should act upon it. So far, the cons outweighed the pros by number but the pros were some very solid points. Like, Pro: she had saved his life from a deranged and bloodthirsty Barty Crouch Jr when he was too weak and feeble to hold a wand properly. Con: she was a Malfoy, even if only by marriage and not exactly on their side. She was on her own side. And that was dangerous. She could turn on him any time, nobody he knew liked her and probably would find it very hard trusting her, this whole situation was probably going to run yet another wedge between him and Sirius and her son was an absolute disgrace to the wizarding world and no way was Sirius allowing him to be part of his House.

So, it was a clear win for the Cons at the moment.

Also, she herself though had admitted that between the her and Sirius a lot of bad blood still ran deep and Harry wasn't sure he could be the right mediator between them.

His action could endanger a lot of people if it turned out Narcissa was just playing him.

On the other hand, she had looked rather bad and had made not to bad a case for herself…He could always use a spy.

Downstairs he heard the front door open and the sound of voices drifted up to him.

The others had returned.

Leaving the sitting room behind him he started to make his way to join the others.

There would be enough time for brooding over the fate of the world later.

At least his scar had stopped hurting so bad.

.

Still lost in thought on his way downstairs he almost didn't catch the burning piece of paper hurtling towards his face.

Thank Merlin for Seeker reflexes…

He snatched the piece of parchment before it could hit his forehead, hissing when the flames burning around the edges singed his skin.

Holding it delicately he examined it and found words hastily written onto it, judging by the smear and narrow angle.

As he read, the fire kept eating away at the parchment at incredible pace.

Just so he managed to read what had been written before he had to let go.

As the paper fell the words:

" _Meet me at the Melaten Cemetery at ten to twelve tonight. N.B."_

dissolved into fine ash that gently rained down onto the old floor-boards.

Harry frowned.

The handwriting had seemed awfully familiar.

Instead of heading downstairs to meet with his friends and family, Harry turned on his heel and hurried back to his bedroom.

Rummaging through his trunk he pulled out the box he kept all his letters in.

From the very bottom he pulled out an almost empty piece of parchment paper.

His magical two-way correspondence letter with Narcissa.

Although the writing always disappeared as soon as the page was full or when the conversation was done, there was always present date written in the top corner.

And the handwriting was identical.

N.B.

Narcissa Black.

She was using a fake name.

Not the most original one but it worked.

So Narcissa wanted to meet. After weeks of silence, now she wanted to speak to him?

Also, the timing seemed suspicious what with his strange dream and all that…

Behind him the door swung open.

"There you are" Hermione exclaimed "We've been looking all over for you…Why are you looking at me like that?" she added immediately.

"Because I have a stupid request for you." He said slowly.

She put her hands on her hips.

"Let me guess. We are about to do something that is clearly going to break some rules, potentially could endanger our lives and you are not going to tell anyone about it."

"You know me so well." He smirked.

With a sigh she dropped her arms.

"Alright…what are we doing?" she asked.


	9. Snapped

Chapter Nine: Snapped

Thank Merlin for late Order Meetings.

Otherwise Hermione and he would have never managed to sneak out.

But with people constantly coming and going that night, it was just a matter of time before someone left the door open long enough for him and Hermione, safely hidden away under his invisibility cloak, to slip through without anyone knowing any better.

Since the adults thought they'd all gone off to bed early, it left them with a time window of a good two hours before the meeting would be over and anyone would come and check up on them.

Plenty of time to meet with Narcissa.

As soon as they had left Grimmauld Place behind, they discarded the cloak and hopped onto the nearest bus going west.

The cemetery they were headed too was not particularly big or famous but it was close to where Harry and Sirius now lived and he'd seen the signs a few times.

Though he had to admit, the prospect of going to a cemetery so soon after his last visit was…unnerving.

Hermione wasn't thrilled either.

While they had told Ron where they were going and needed him to cover for them, in case someone came looking for them, she still thought this was a bad idea.

Especially after he had told her who they were meeting.

He had disclosed all the information to her as they sat on the bus.

How Narcissa had first cornered him at the celebration at the How last winter, how she had saved his life at the beginning of the summer to their correspondence and now to her letter just today.

"I don't know Harry." Hermione finally said after he was finished. "You putting a lot of trust in a person that might only be out for her own gain."

"Believe me Hermione, I know that, it's just…"

"You just cannot not help, I know Harry. Its what I love about you and at the same time it frustrates me so much." She interrupted him.

She sighed. "So, what exactly is the plan here?" she then asked.

"See what she wants. Then go from there."

She shook her head. "You are terrible." She announced.

"I really think Narcissa could be helpful to us."

"Only if she wants to be. You realize there is a good chance this is just a ruse, right?"

"I know Hermione but I…I have yet to be wrong about my gut instinct."

She stared at him in disbelieve. "That's what you are relying on?"

He sighed. "Please Hermione. I need you on board with this. As my advisor."

"I am. And as your advisor, I advise you against this. We don't even have a way to defend us if this is just an ambush."

Sheepishly, Harry reached into his coats pocket.

"Oh, you didn't…" she whispered indignantly as he discretely handed her a wand. "Where did you even get these?"

"Sirius has like… a ton of wands up in the attic. They were all won in duels by his family over the centuries. The really old ones pretty much obey anyone by now. Give it a try."

"We're on a bus." She hissed.

"I'm not saying you should transfigure the seat into a pig, just saying you should test it out." He hissed back.

Hiding the wand with her own jacket, she wordlessly flicked it and flowers bloomed from the tip, spilling onto the floor, much to the confusion of the handful other passengers.

Blushing, Hermione kicked the flowers under her seat.

Harry supressed a snigger.

"Not funny." She hissed.

Their stop came up and they hopped off.

If they followed the street further up, they would reach Harrys new neighbourhood. But their path let them down the street towards the high gates of the cemetery that they could already see in the gloom.

"Did she say where to meet her?" Hermione asked as Harry draped the invisibility cloak around them.

"No." he admitted. He ignored her huff and instead raised his own borrowed wand and muttered: "Homino revilio."

A second later a single red ball of light reappeared, dancing in front of them.

"Okay that's good, right?" he asked Hermione.

"Not really. But let's go."

.

Narcissa was not that hard to find.

She had chosen a bench in front of a row of single graves. The tombstones were simple but nobody seemed to really take care of these graves.

Leaving Hermione under the cloak for now, Harry revealed himself.

"Ms. Black?" he asked carefully.

She turned.

"I haven't heard that name in quite a while." She admitted, rising to her feet.

"I think it suits you." Harry offered.

"You flatter me. Now, who is it you brought along?"

Harry smiled. "There's no keeping secrets from you, is there?"

"On the contrary, it was merely a guess. You would have been a fool to come alone. So, who is your companion?"

Hermione revealed herself gracefully, handing Harry back his cloak.

"Lady Narcissa Malfoy, this is Hermione Granger. My advisor and confidant. The smartest witch of her generation." Harry introduced her.

"So, this is the young woman I hear Draco complain so much about." Narcissa mused.

Immediately Hermione's expression closed off and her eyes became cold and sharp.

"Is that so?" she asked.

"Yes. Always upstaging him, always getting better grades than him, always one step ahead. He's quite frustrated with you."

Hermione's expression closed off even more.

"How is that my problem?"

"It's not. I told Draco to work harder if he wants to be on top."

Hermione shoulders relaxed ever so slightly.

"Just so we're clear" she said "I'm against us being here, I am against you and your 'deal' with Harry and all that."

Narcissa nodded. "Noted Ms. Granger. Now, let us walk, its not safe to linger in open spaces for too long."

.

The two teenagers followed the older witch as she let them across the cemetery, always staying in the shadows of the mausoleums.

"What do you want? I assume you have a reason for calling me." Harry pointed out after a few minutes of silent walking.

"I do." Narcissa said, glancing over her shoulder.

"Time is running out and I'm done waiting for you to talk to Sirius. I want out and I want out now."

"Yeah, well, you are not holding the cards Ms. Malfoy." Hermione growled.

"Quite the contrary. The Dark Lord is planning something. Something big. I know what it is. And I can tell you. But if I do, the Dark Lord will know someone in his innermost circle will have spilled the beans on his little endeavour. And with his skills of legilimency it won't take him long to find out who did."

"What's…" Harry began but Hermione quickly whispered: "A form of mind-reading." He nodded.

"So…you want to trade this information in return for getting you out?" Harry guessed.

Narcissa nodded.

"What about the offer to become my spy? That would be wasted, wouldn't it? You'd be of no use to me then." He pointed out sharply.

"I'm no good to you dead either. But I do have power and influence and I might be able to sway some minds to join our cause."

"Oh, now it's 'our' cause?" Hermione snapped. "Just what we need, more Deatheaters we cannot trust" turning around to Harry she continued "You're not seriously considering this, are you?"

When she saw his face, her expression dropped. "Unbelievable" she muttered "You are considering it."

"Hermione…" he began but she cut him off.

"Next thing you're telling me she wants to take Draco with her."

The silence told her everything she needed to know.

"Oh hell no." she said through gritted teeth.

Harry had never heard her curse so much. Part of him was impressed by her potty mouth.

"Malfoy? Draco Malfoy, the guy that has bullied you, Ron and me and pretty much everyone we care about since day one? That guy? The guy who calls me _mudblood_ and _freak_ , that guy, you want to offer him and his mother protection? Hell no!"

"Ms. Granger, I can understand that you have been hurt and are afraid. But so am I. I stand to lose the most important thing in my life. My son."

Hermione scoffed. "Forgive me if I don't consider Malfoy worth compromising the security of our entire movement."

"In times like these it's important to set our differences aside. Draco is just a little boy, he's afraid…of what they might make him do or do to him." Narcissa insisted.

Harry cringed.

Hermione shook her head and even a little laughter of disbelieve escaped her mouth.

"Differences? After being constantly bullied, hexed and belittled for being Muggleborn, something I had no control over might I add, and having to deal with his insults on a daily basis, questioning my self-worth because of his painful words and actions and having to deal with all of that completely unprovoked, after all that…I am supposed to consider _his_ feelings? I am to set aside his misgivings and just forgive forget, al because _he_ is sacred?"

Hermione stepped up to Narcissa and stared her down.

"I have been afraid for the better part of five years Mrs. Malfoy. Mostly because of your son. Everyday, I question whether coming to Hogwarts and pursuing a magical education and career was the right decision in a system that is poled against me. Will I ever get a job worth of my education, my dedication, endurance and intelligence? Or will I always play second fiddle to people like your son and be considered a second-class citizen, all because I can't trace my family's line and magic back thousands of years?"

She balled her fists and Harry wondered if he would have to keep her from punching Narcissa.

But Hermione wasn't done yet.

"Malfoy is scared? I am terrified! If we lose this war, I will either be imprisoned, enslaved of killed. What's the worst that can happen to him? He should have thought about potential consequences beforehand. He geos around for years parroting the ideals and teachings of the Dark Lord and promising me I will be the first on his Kill-List when the time comes. And now that he is called to act upon his words, he realizes what they actually mean? And that surprises him? He doesn't deserve my understanding or my pity and he certainly doesn't deserve my protection. He has no place with us. And to be honest. Neither do you in my eyes."

She breathed deeply, turned on her heel and walked towards Harry.

He took her hand and squeezed it in silent support.

Narcissa nodded. "I see" she said at last "But Mr. Potter and I have an understanding."

"Your deal was non-binding." Hermione growled.

"Be that as it my, I have a lot to offer to Mr. Potter."

"Do you? Because as far as I am concerned you are just like your son. You realize you are in way over your heads and now you try to find a quick and easy way out without much compromise. You don't care who gets hurt in the process as long as it's not you. You might not gain anything from this war or joining our side. But you won't lose anything either if you stay by your husbands' side."

Narcissa studied Hermione thoughtfully.

"I admire your passion. And your protectiveness. And your caution. Is there anything I could do to prove to you that I mean it?"

"At this point? I don't know. You are part of the problem after all." was Hermione's surprisingly quick answer. "You cannot just buy my acceptance with some information. But you can give it up willingly and freely." She then added.

"What do you mean?" Narcissa asked warily.

"Give us the information about Voldemort's plans, whatever they are. The reason you came tonight. Tell us." Harry intervened.

"And then? You'll protect me?"

"No, you'll just tell us. As a gesture of good will and as a sign of your commitment."

Narcissa frowned. "Not without protection. It will be my death-sentence if I go back after telling you."

"That doesn't matter to me. Because as I see it. We might be your only hope but you certainly aren't our only hope."

"What makes you think you are my only option?" Narcissa asked icily.

"You're here with us, aren't you? That pretty much tells me everything. You have nowhere to go if this goes bad for you."

Narcissa didn't reply.

"Sucks, doesn't it? Knowing your fate is in someone else's hand." Hermione whispered. "Welcome to my world."

Harry studied the older woman intently. By all means the night wasn't progressing as he had thought it would but now…it seemed like Hermione had done it.

Narcissa nodded.

"Alright. I'll tell you. But please…help me."

Harry nodded ever so slightly at Hermione. She nodded back.

"Tell us." Harry said.

"The Dark Lord is planning to attack Azkaban and break out several of his loyalist trapped within. Among them my sister, her husband and several others. Its set to take place about two weeks from now. But nobody but the Dark Lord knows the exact date. It's sort of a 'on-call-situation' where his followers have to be ready to attack at any given moment. They have been given special portkeys they have to carry at any given moment. On the Dark Lords command, it will activate and take them to _Dead Mans Beach_ from where prisoners are transported to Azkaban via ship. It's also where the wards that protect and control Azkaban have part of their origin and where they are controlled. They also have someone on the inside of the prison to aid with the attack but I don't know who it is."

Harry exchanged worried glances with Hermione.

"An attack like that would surprise the few guards at the beach and make it easy for the Deatheaters to overpower them. We cannot let it happen."

"In two weeks, we'll be back at Hogwarts." Hermione reminded him.

"You know what I mean."

Hermione nodded.

Turning back to Narcissa she raised an eyebrow and asked: "Is that all?"

"They also plan on making Sirius their scapegoat."

"What? Why? How?" Harry asked.

"He's, aside from Barty Crouch Jr., the only one in the last two hundred years to successfully escape Azkaban. Also, he and Dumbledore had a falling out with the Minister. They are not in Fudges good graces and it won't take much to convince him that Sirius was behind the attack."

"Nobody in their right mind would believe this!" Harry protested indignantly.

"Sure, but we are talking about the Minister here. Fudge only sees what he wants to see or what the people with all the money want him to see." Narcissa said offhandedly.

"Alright, thanks for the information. Come on Harry, we've got what we need. Let's go before someone notices we're gone." Hermione interrupted him, dragging him away by his arm.

"Hermione wait, we cannot leave her here!" Harry protested quietly.

"I can." Hermione muttered.

"Hermione, stop."

He forced her to stop.

"Look at me."

She did but unwillingly.

"I know you are hurt and you have every right to be hurt and I agree with everything you've said one hundred percent. Malfoy doesn't deserve shit. But its not about deserve. It's about what is right. And saving a life is always the right thing to do. Even if its Malfoys. Even if it's his mother's life. She saved my life. She didn't have to do that. Let's help her now. I will settle my life-debt to her this way and we can go separate ways if need be."

She took a deep breath.

"Harry, I know its your job to protect everyone. You know it, I know it, everyone knows it. But wat you might not know, it that it is my job to protect you. And right now, I am doing my job. I'm not taking her back to Headquarters. There is no way in hell I am letting you that. I will put down my foot."

"I know. I understand. And I agree. I think I have an idea where we can take her. I know where she'll be safe. At least for a while until we think of something more permanent."

Hermione narrowed her eyes.

"Alright, I'm listening."

.

.

"Where…exactly are we?" Narcissa asked slowly as she looked around.

"The less you know the better. Just know that it's safe here and I don't think your husband or anyone else would bother looking for you here. Just keep up the runes that hide your magical signature and you'll be fine while Harry sorts everything out for you." Hermione muttered.

"This…this all looks awfully like there will be a lot of Muggles around." Narcissa remarked.

"It is a Muggle neighbourhood, yes." Harry agreed. "And here we are." He added and nodded at the house before stepping up to the door and rang the doorbell.

The lights were still on so he knew the inhabitants were still awake.

Sure enough he saw the silhouette of someone walking towards the door thought the stained glass of the front door.

The door opened.

"Harry? I thought you and Sirius were staying somewhere else over the last weeks?"

"Hi Grace. I'm so sorry to bother you so late at home but its rather urgent."

Ginas mother hesitated, taking in his company.

"Gina is not here dear; she and the others are having a sleepover at Madeline's place."

"That's okay, I'm here because I need your help." Harry said quickly.

Mrs. van Zuid hesitated, the nodded. "Well in that case you better come in. You and…"

"Oh, right, Grace, this is Hermione Granger, one of my best friends. We go to the same school. And this is Mrs. Narcissa Malfoy. She's the mother of one our year-mates and also Sirius's cousin."

Mrs. van Zuid nodded and let them inside.

She let them into the kitchen and after preparing tea for everybody and putting out some biscuits she sat down with them.

"What's going on Harry?" she asked softly.

"Gina told me about your work. How you…help people. Women especially whenever they find themselves in difficult or…dangerous situations in their homes." Harry started, not quite sure how to explain it.

Mrs. van Zuid nodded. "That's correct. It's a special kind of social work."

"You see…Narcissa here…she is in a difficult, even dangerous situation…at home. She…she can't go back." Harry explained carefully, aware of Narcissa hard gaze on him.

Immediately the expression on Mrs. van Zuid's face changed from mildly concerned and interested to full-on professional mode.

She turned to Narcissa.

"Is that true?" she asked softly.

Harry nodded slightly at Narcissa.

Who in response nodded at Mrs. van Zuid.

"Yes" she finally said "My husband and I…it is complicated. I cannot go back."

"Would you like to inform the police?"

"We cannot do that Grace." Harry informed her quietly "Her husband has…money and connections and he would immediately find out and she wouldn't be safe. We were hoping that maybe you knew somewhere safe where she could stay until we got it all sorted out."

Mrs. van Zuid frowned.

"Sort it all out? Harry, does Sirius know what's going on?"

Harry slowly shook his head. "No. For several reasons. One is that Narcissa and Sirius haven't spoke in a long time. They aren't exactly on best of terms. Also, we fear Sirius might do something stupid if he found out and…we want to make sure Narcissa is taken care of before we tell him and then hopefully with some help of our attorney and law-enforcement that is not completely corrupt we can settle this."

"Harry…this is not how we do this." His friends mother reminded him gently.

"I know Grace and I'm sorry to bother you with this but…it would just be for a couple of days until we can make sure her husband has not found her and once we've settled everything there is to settle, I'm sure it'll be fine."

"I don't know Harry…" Mrs. van Zuid whispered.

"Please. We don't know where else to go."

To his surprise Narcissa stepped in. "Please…I have no where else to go right now and…I'm afraid he'll hurt me if I do go back." She whispered.

It was a brilliant performance, almost too real…

It seemed to work because Mrs. van Zuid nodded warily.

"Alright. But because it's 'off-the-books' for now I cannot send her to one of the safe-houses just yet. You'll have to stay here with me and my family for a while. We'll just say you're a cousin from farther away here for a surprise visit. I'll see if I can find a safe-house somewhere further away that you can stay in for a while."

They all nodded.

"I'll head up and prepared the guest rooms, why don't you say your goodbyes for now? It's getting late you probably need to head home."

Harry nodded. "Yes. Thank you, Grace."

She nodded and disappeared upstairs.

As soon as she was out of earshot, Narcissa turned to him.

"You are not seriously leaving me in a house full of Muggles in a neighbourhood full of Muggles! They cannot protect me."

"Nobody will find you here. Only Hermione and I know where you are, you are hidden by almost every rune under the sky and we made sure nobody followed us. You will be safe here for now. And you will be nice to these people and you will do what they tell you." Harry whispered back harshly.

Narcissa narrowed her eyes.

"Fine." She growled.

"If you don't, if you leave, neither Harry, nor I nor anyone else will be responsible for what happens to you. Also, with this the life-debt Harry owes you will be fulfilled." Hermione added.

Narcissa narrowed her eyes even further but eventually spat out another: "Fine."

"Grace's daughter Gina knows how to contact me. If you need to contact me do it through her. She doesn't know about magic but she knows how to reach me. Unless you have our shared parchment on you…"

"I have nothing on me. I had to leave everything behind because it would have raised suspicions very quickly." Narcissa hissed.

"How long before they'll notice you're gone?"

Narcissa schooled her features and straightened herself.

"Hopefully not for a few weeks. I've left Lucius a letter telling him I'm visiting my Aunt Irma in Ireland."

"Really? He'll believe that?" Hermione asked sceptically.

"Lucius is very busy these days. Also, I've been visiting my Aunt Irma every year for a few weeks to get away from him every now and then. He'll notice eventually when I won't return but until then…nobody else should be overly suspicious."

"What if they check up on you or your Aunt Irma?"

Narcissa snorted. "My Aunt Irma's been dead for more than nine years. Lucius was at her funeral. He doesn't care to remember. He won't check up on me. And Draco will be safe at school. He doesn't know either."

Harry exchanged another look with Hermione.

But before anyone could say anything else Grace returned.

"Alright, off you go. It's late and I can safely guess its been a long day for everyone involved."  
"Try a few long weeks." Hermione muttered.

Grace walked them to the door.

Harry nodded at Narcissa. "Be safe, I'll be in contact soon."

To Mrs. van Zuid he said: "Gina know how to reach me and so does Narcissa. If anything happens, if there is any hint or reason to think she's not safe here contact me or get her out, whatever is better."

Mrs. van Zuid nodded.

"Thanks again." Hermione added and smiled sweetly at her.

Then the two of them left.

.

.

They caught the last bus of the night back to Grimmauld Place and carefully sneaked up the front door.

According to Harrys watch it wasn't even two in the morning yet. Plenty of time.

Carefully he opened the door, mindful of is squeaking nature and Walburga Blacks painting. Last thing they needed was her to alarm Sirius and everyone else to their little adventure.

They needn't have bothered.

There was already someone waiting for them, sitting in a chair by the stairs.

Only when they leaned forward and into the light did Harry recognize them.

"Now" they said "Where ever might you two be coming back from this late? And maybe explain to me what business you have been conducting with my sister?"

Expectantly Andromeda Tonks looked at them, waiting for an explanation.

.

.

.

.

.

AN: Hermione snapped slightly.


	10. The women of House Black

Chapter Ten: The women of House Black

"Well?" Andromeda asked, slowly getting up from where she sat "Anything you want to share with the class?"

Hermione looked at Harry, nudging him forwards.

"Hey…Andy…Hermione, this is Andromeda Tonks. She is Sirius's cousin and…Narcissas' older sister. She's also the family lawyer and she and her husband work at the DMLE. She is Tonks mother." Harry nervously introduced his friend to his sort-of-aunt.

"Pleasure." Hermione mumbled.

Andromeda just raised an eyebrow.

"Please don't tell Sirius we were out." Harry begged. "We…it was really important."

"Important enough to set both your lives on the line?" Andy asked.

"Yes. We know what Voldemort is planning. We know what's going to happen." Harry said, more firmly this time.

"I assume my sister gave you that information. Let me guess, in exchange for something? A favour?" Andromeda asked harshly.

"Yes."

"And has it crossed your mind that it might be a trick?"

"More than once. And until I know for sure that it was the truth, I will do nothing about her." He promised.

Andy relaxed slightly. "Good. You can't trust her."

Then she sighed. "Well then, I suppose you want to tell the others about the impending attack on Azkaban."

Hermione narrowed her eyes. "How do you know that?"

"My daughter isn't the only one in our family with astonishing powers." Andromeda admitted.

"I'm a Legilimency, my dear. I can read minds. It's a natural gift."

"Which is why she's such a fantastic lawyer." Harry added.

"Isn't that cheating?" Hermione asked.

"it's a grey area and most people don't even know." Andy said with a wink.

"That is even worse." Hermione exclaimed but kept her voice low.

"We can discuss the moral implications of my gifts and the ethical dilemmas that might arise from them in my profession another time. Now, let's tell the others about your findings."

"How did you even know we were out?" Hermione asked.

"I ran into Ronald and his mind was a mess of hastily made up excuses in case I asked about the two of you. It didn't take much for me to gather what I needed to know. I was going to tell Sirius until he told me of Narcissas involvement. I thought it better to wait and see for myself."

Andromeda turned to talk towards the stairs leading down to the kitchen.

"I know my sister. She is not that selfless." She said over her shoulder. "Now, follow me."

.

It felt like walking towards your own execution.

The closer the got to the kitchen door and the more clearly, they could hear the voices from the other side, the more Harrys nervousness rose.

Hermione wasn't much better.

Breaking rules had always been a sore spot for her and while she had gotten more liberal over the years with that particular annoyance in their lives, this was different.

He squeezed her hand. "I'll tell them I made you come." He whispered.

"Don't be stupid, they wouldn't believe that in a million years." She breathed back.

Andromeda opened the door and strode inside, confident and purposefully.

Harry and Hermione followed awkwardly.

It got even more awkward when all conversation ceased at the sight of them.

The room was packed.

Great….

"Harry, Hermione, what are you doing up so late. What is the meaning of this Andy?" Sirius asked, getting up from where he sat.

Then he noticed that the two teenagers were still wearing their coats and how muddy their boots were and how Harry was still balling his invisibility cloak in his hands.

"God damn it." He said, bracing his hands on the table, taking a few deep breaths. "They snuck out, didn't they?" he asked Andy.

"Yes Sirius. I caught them trying to sneak back inside."

"While this obviously is something we should address and deal with, surely it can wait with the disciplinary measures and parenting until the morning. This is after all a very important meeting." Dumbledore tried to sooth the atmosphere.

"Oh please, I'm sure Potter is loving all the attention." Sneered a familiar voice from Dumbledores' side.

Snape glared at the two of them.

"Shut up Snivellus, this is not your concern." Sirius growled.

"While I agree that the children sneaking out is something to discuss I think you should hear why they did it." Andromeda cut between the two. Looking back at Harry she added: "Go on, tell them what you told me."

Harry took a deep breath.

"We know what Voldemort is planning" cue violent twitches at the mention of the Dark Lords name "We met someone who has information from his inner circle. And they told us."

A surprised and excited murmur went through the room.

"And what would that be?" Snape sneered.

"They are planning an attack on Azkaban prison to free many of the Deatheaters inside who are still loyal to him. Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestrange and his brother Rabastan, Antonin Dolohov, Torquil Travers just to name a few. And it'll happen most likely sometime in the next two weeks."

The table erupted into chaos and it took Dumbledore several attempts to get everyone to settle down again.

"That's not possible, they will never succeed!" someone argued.

"They have someone on the inside!" Hermione all but shouted.

"Even if they do, its impossible. Also, I have not heard of such plans!" Snape hissed.

"Well, they must not be privy to the on goings in the inner circle." Harry snapped, causing everyone to suddenly become very quiet.

"Harry, you know Severus is our spy among the rows of the Deatheaters. He has been for many years."

"Well, he might not be doing a very good job if he missed something as big as this." Moody pointed out; his artificial eyes trained on Harry.

"I would rather know how Potter has contact to someone in the Dark Lords inner circle. Who gave you that information?" Snape retorted.

Now all eyes were back on Harry. And without missing a beat he said: "Narcissa Malfoy."

Once more the table erupted into chaos.

Shouts of "Deatheater!" "Traitor!" "Murderer!" echoes through the room.

Harry hoped they were directed at Narcissa and not him.

"Save to say Headmaster that we will drop that information." Snape sneered.

"It's the truth." Harry shouted over the upset order members.

"You cannot know that!" someone shouted back.

"No, but if it is true, we might be able to prevent a mass outbreak and the strengthening of the Dark Lords follows, not to mention probably save thousands of lives in the process. These people are in there for a reason."

"Reasons we know better than you Potter, we were there, you were just a baby." Someone else cried angrily. "We lost friends and family members."

"In case you had forgotten, my parents are dead as well!" Harry snapped back. "You know what's on the line, I know what's on the line. You should be glad to have this information."

"What, want us to thank you Potter?" Snape growled.

Harry scoffed. "Please, what good would that do? I want to see action. I want to see you do something about it. Increase the guards at Azkaban, do a vetting of the people working there, increase the wards, whatever. You're the fabled Order of the Phoenix, the resistance! Show them you're not just a bunch of rag-tags meeting in a basement."

Maybe he should have taken it easy on the sarcasm. But Harry was getting fed up at this point.

Anger boiled in his gut, rushing up his chest and a feeling of pressure started to build up behind his eyes.

"You cannot talk to us like that." Someone growled after a moment of stunned silence.

"Do you know who we are?" another spluttered.

"A bunch of have-been's ignoring someone who wants to help but have their head stuck up too far up their own arses to listen?" Harry snapped back once more.

More stunned silence.

"I'm not seeing much action being taken. We're not exactly winning here people."

Into the silence, Remus stood up and said in his ever-calm way: "Harry…ignoring all the things you just said…Narcissa Malfoy cannot be trusted. You cannot…"

"She saved my life." Harry interrupted him.

"What?" Sirius asked.

"When?" Remus added.

"Remember when Barty Crouch Jr. posed as Mad Eye Moody and attack me at home after I was released from St. Mungo's? I didn't defeat him. I didn't even manage to cast one spell. I was weak and injured. I could barely walk ten paces without pausing for a break, much less take on and take down a crazy Deatheater. If it hadn't been for Narcissa arriving in the nick of time, I would be dead and you would probably all be dead as well and the Deatheaters and Voldemort would be ruling the world right now. She didn't have to do it. But she did. And you know why? Because she wants out. Narcissa, she wants out. She wants to leave Lucius and get out. And she wants her son to get out as well. She offered me information in exchange for convincing Sirius to take her back into the Black family so she has the guaranteed protection of her Head of House. I told her that there was no way I could do that. So, we came to the agreement that she would tell us and we would see what we could do for her. She is safe so far but I don't think she can stay where she is forever. And…I want to help her" Turning to Sirius he continued "I know that I can never understand what you and Andy went through because of her and the rest of your family. But…she saved my life. She didn't have to do that. I'd like to return the favour and…if we can change her mind…imagine who else we might reach? Fighting a war is one thing. Keeping peace, making sure something like this will never happen again…that is not something we do with spells. It's a change that has to occur in the way people think. I know that Narcissa could very well be lying. I'm not an idiot. That why I didn't bring her here like she wanted. I know who she married and who her sister is. But Narcissa is not your typical Deatheater"

"Yes, she is worse!" Harry ignored the interruption.

"I know she's out mostly for her own gain. But she is not a murder or a traitor or a monster like other members of her family. I'm not saying you should take her in with open arms and forgive and forget. But If there was a person, I think deserves a second chance, it would be her."

He let his eyes travel through the room.

"Do with that information whatever you want. I stand by what I said and what she told me. Maybe it's a trick, maybe it's a red herring, maybe it's the truth. Just know that if these monsters get out of Azkaban, the blood of their victims will be on your hands."

To underline his statement, he brought his fist down on the table.

Turning around he stormed back upstairs, dragging Hermione with him.

Leaving behind a stunned Order of the Phoenix and a scorch mark where his fist had hid the table.

.

.

Ron was visibly upset that he had given their expedition away but Harry assured him it wasn't his fault.

Ron seemed to also regret not having been able to witness Harry blowing up in front of the entire Order after Harry had brought him up to speed with everything that had been going on.

"Do you think she said the truth? I mean, its not that unlikely that the Deatheaters would want some of their most dangerous fighters back." He pointed out.

Harry nodded. "Exactly. It could of course be a trap as well to lure the Order out on false pretence. But if its not then something has to be done about it. We're risking a lot and I really don't think Narcissa was lying. She's changing."

Ron scoffed but didn't say anything.

"Is there something we can do?" he asked instead.

"By the time it's supposed to go down we'll be at Hogwarts. Far away and unable to leave." Harry muttered.

"And if we tell the wrong person in the Ministry the Deatheaters will know that we know and then we would lose our only advantage." Hermione added.

But then she took Harrys hand and continued: "But I think you managed to reach some of the people downstairs with what you said. I was looking at them and there were more people agreeing with you than opposing. I think you might have swayed some and maybe they can convince others and maybe they will take our waning seriously."

"That's a lot of _maybes_ Hermione. I appreciate it, I really do but it won't do us any good when Deatheaters roam free."

Before the friends could think of any other options, they might have there was knock on the door.

"Come in." Hermione called out.

The door opened and Sirius stepped inside.

Seeing the three of them sitting in the floor together he managed a small smile.

"More plotting?" he asked and harry noticed how incredibly weary and tired he sounded.

Instead of waiting for an answer (that never came), Sirius plopped himself down on the ground as well, sitting opposite of Harry and leaned against side of the bedframe.

The three teenagers waited for him to say something.

"I thought we were on the same team?" Sirius asked. "Harry, you promised me, no more secrets."

"I know. And I'm sorry. I have felt rotten about it, believe me, but I wasn't sure how to approach the hole situation. Its not exactly a dinner conversation starter. And…I…" harry shook his head. "I know it's messed up and stupid but Sirius, I don't feel right on this team we're supposedly are on. Dumbledore is trying but I feel like he's still keeping secrets and all his cards close to his chest. I want to do something; we all do and nobody will let us. I get that you are concerned adults and parents but this is our future we're fighting for and we're sick of being left out of the decision making. I want to trust the Headmaster but he's making it very hard and I don't know abut you. You say you are not on good terms with him but you keep standing submissively by his side."

Harry expected Sirius to yell or argue but instead his godfather nodded.

"You're right. To be honest, everything you said downstairs was right. Don't get me wrong, I don't like that you've kept secrets again, that you snuck out again, that you are still going behind my back and all that shit. But I understand you Harry. I was you after all. When the war first began your dad, Remus, Lily and I were just like you guys. We wanted to change the world, take charge and finish this war. And I remember how we were held down just like you guys were. I get your frustration. I get you're need for action. So…despite all the advices from all the parenting books and whatever Molly keeps yelling at me…I'm gonna let you. I know there is no stopping you. And honestly, we shouldn't. Harry, I let you. You have me permission. I will be there for you and I will help you and do whatever you think needs to be done. Okay? You hear me? I'm on your side."

Instead of a response, harry flung himself at Sirius and hugged him.

"Thank you." He breathed.

"Certain conditions do apply though." Sirius muttered.

"Name it."

"You will tell me whenever you're off to do something. No matter how small of insignificant. You have the two-way-mirror, use it! And pick up when I call you! If I want to come along, I will come along. If I tell you to wait for me, you will wait. If I tell you stay put, you stay put. If I tell you to stay out of trouble, at least try to stay out of trouble."

Harry laughed and nodded.

"Okay, deal. Thank you, Sirius."

Sirius looked at Ron and Hermione.

"Keep him safe at Hogwarts. He's an idiot but at least with you he stands a chance."

They nodded solemnly and so serious that the laughter died in Harrys throat.

"Alright, now that that is out of the way…what's our first order of business?" Sirius asked.

"Narcissa and the impending prison break."

Sirius sighed. "I thought you might say that. What exactly did she say she wanted from you?"

"Well, her original plan was for Draco to inherit the title as Lord of House Black so they could use it and all the money that came with it to make a run for it, basically. But then you got back and I was put in the equation as new heir-apparent and that plan was foiled. That's when she first approached me and offered her services as a spy in return for protection under your House. She wanted me to talk you into it. But I didn't know how to. We met a handful of times, she helped me with the whole Barty Crouch Jr. mess and we've stayed in contact via a shared parchment. And then tonight she found out about the attack on Azkaban and originally planned to trade that information against save keeping. But Hermione made a good case against her and we instead left her with Grace."

Sirius stared at him.

"You…left my cousin, Narcissa Malfoy…in the care of a muggle-social-worker in a muggle-neighbourhood in east-London?"

"Yes."

Sirius barking dog-like laughter filled the room.

"Priceless." He admitted. "And so was her plan to become a Black again. Sneaky little Cissy." He shook his head.

Hermione raised a questioning hand.

"I don't understand the whole 'protection from you Head of House thing'." She said.

Harry nodded. "Yeah, me neither. But she was very adamant about it. What's the deal with that?"

"It's quite the deal" Ron said "And smart. That's where blood-purity really is a slight advantage. Urgh but imagine having Malfoy as Head of your House…I think I would leave immediately."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Harry asked.

"Honestly, I've never quite understood the whole deal with families and blood-purity. I mean, I know the basics and all that but…why does being the head of a family grand you such special powers. Like literally magical powers?" Hermione asked.

Sirius leaned back in his armchair.

"Well, that's a good question. And I wish the answer was simple but it's a bit complicated to be honest. I'll try to explain it but really, I only remember half of what I was taught. I never really cared since I never expected to end up as Head of House."

"But you were the oldest, doesn't that automatically make you the heir?" Harry asked confused.

"Not always. I mean, look at Daphne. She's heir to her house and only the third born. In most houses the rule of first-born holds but it's not really a set rule. But let me get to that one later on. Let's talk houses first. Okay, so there is a general consensus about the origin of magical people in England and that is that magical beings from different countries fled to here from Greece, France and Ireland and some from even further away. Once they settled down here, they started their own families and passed out the gift of magic to their children and their children's children and so on. That's where most Ancient and Noble Houses have their roots. Ancient _or_ Noble Houses came into existence by different houses mingling or intermarrying or people leaving their families to start their own house.

In those times blood-magic ran deep and wild. It's not the same blood-magic that is frowned upon today. It's basically like this: Those powerful magicians, who started their families, with each child born into their family they passed on a bit of themselves, a bit of their power onto them. And that bit of power in their children didn't just give their children the ability to do magic but it gave the Head of their families, the one they got their powers from, power over them."

Harrys eyes widened. "Really?"

"Yes, the Head of House could literally control his descendants. Make they do or say things against their will. It was a power feared and revered. And when the Head of House died, the first one he passed his blood onto would inherit the power to do the same. But it had a devastating consequence. Not only did some people abuse this power and the consequent trust of their families that came with it, no, much worse: if the Head of House lost his magical abilities, his entire family would lose them!"

Sirius paused, letting his words sink in.

"How can you lose your magic? I thought its part of us?" Ron asked.

"Your magical core is part of you but think of it like a fire. The wood is your magical abilities and the fire is your use of magic. The more the fire burns, the more it will eat the wood. The more and powerful magic you use, the faster your core will deplete. And once it's all gone…it will never come back."

"That is…a scary thought…" Hermione whispered, gently twirling her wand in her hands.

"It doesn't happen often. In the old days people lost their powers usually through accidents or if they were bound by others. But that is not a problem anymore today. Anyway, to avoid something like that or being forcefully controlled by their Head of House, families began to expand, marrying into other magical families or even marrying non-magical people. Marrying other magical individuals guaranteed, that if one family lost their magic, the one who shared blood with another magical family, would still have magical powers. And if you shared blood from three or four families, you were safe. That way the bloodlines were thinned out and the connection to the Heads of Houses got weaker. It's a lot harder to control someone who only shares five-percent of your blood as opposed to your child who chares half of it. Everybody was safer."

He stopped again.

"But some didn't want to give up that power. That's where the pureblood-tradition comes in. You see, some families didn't want to give up the potential power to control others and be the most powerful member of their family and began to minimalize the amount of outsider-blood mingling with their family. In those families, the powers of the Head of House are still strong, stronger than in other families. My own, the Blacks, for example, are one such family. As Head of House Black I have certain powers over my family members. For example, if given a direct order as Head of House, a family member would not be able to refuse until I released them."

Hermione frowned.

"Then why didn't you control your cousin Bellatrix Lestrange to…I don't know kill Voldemort during the first war?"

Sirius grimaced. "I wish I could. This is where it gets even more complicated. The powers of Head of House come not without…loopholes I'd call them. Marriage is one of them. If you marry into another magical family and change your name, you become subject to _their_ Head of House. Only when you renounce their name and come back to your original family, it falls back over you to your original Head of House. Or if you reject your family name in a blood-cleansing ritual. But that doesn't always work. I did that when I ran away from home. But then my brother died, my cousins were married and I was the eldest living heir when my parents died so the family magic re-entered my blood and I became Head of House."

Now Harry frowned. "But…we are related and I've never had problems defying your orders." He pointed out.

Sirius glared at him. "Yeah, thanks for the reminder."

"You know what I mean."

"Yes. And there's a reason for that. Well, two actually. For one, I've never given you an order as your Head of your House. There's a difference, believe me. Second: You are a Potter before you are a Black and the only Potter around, period. As such, you are protected from being controlled by anyone else, since you are heir-in-waiting for the Potter House. It has a more direct claim than your connection to the Black family."

"But if you make me your heir…" Harry asked confused.

"…it still won't overrule the Potter-claim. See it as a bonus. It'll one day allow you certain powers over two families. Well…only if my family-line continues. Which at this point is not bloody likely."

"So…for Narcissa it would mean that if she rejected the Malfoy name, she would become a Black again and as such would fall under your command and protection. Lucius Malfoy would be unable to touch her." Harry said slowly.

"Then why didn't she just do it?" Hermione asked.

"Because the Head of House has to accept you back into the family, otherwise its invalid and you have no name, no family, no protection, nada." Ron explained.

Sirius nodded. "Correct. I need to give her my blessing. Until then…" he shrugged.

"If Draco had become heir to House Black, he could easily have made her a Black again. But obviously that didn't work."

"Can you control Draco if he's part Black?" Hermione asked.

"No, he's a Malfoy first. Like with Harry, it has a stronger claim. Unless he renounces that name. Then he would become a Black. If I gave my permission."

"That's complicated." Harry muttered.

"If you take Narcissa in, you could control her, correct?" Hermione asked. "Maybe that's a good idea. If she's under Sirius's control she can't cause trouble if her intentions aren't honest after all."

She looked at Sirius expectantly.

"I think you take the control thing a tad too literal. In ancient times I might have been able to control my siblings and children in body and mind. Today I can force them to tell me the truth maybe or give them simple orders. But people have been known to be strong enough to overcome even those. Like I said, in other families these abilities might be more pronounced. I don't even know how strong my powers are. I've never used them before."

"So you can't control Narcissa or Draco or Bellatrix…Who can you control?"

"Kreacher." Sirius replied dryly to which she shot him a dirty look.

"I still think we should take her. Maybe you can make an unbreakable oath where you forbid her from harming anyone or place her under house arrest, I don't know. We can't leave her with Grace forever and I fear she might leave if we don't do anything." Harry muttered lowly.

Sirius sighed again.

"Probably. But I…I still don't know Harry."

"Talk with Andy about it. Maybe she can help you find a solution. She is a lawyer after all."

"I don't think it's a good idea to put Cissy and Andy in the same room." Sirius snorted.

"I think it's a great idea." Said a new voice from the door.

The all turned to see Andromeda leaning in the door.

"You should really keep the door closed and maybe put a privacy charm up." She noted as she stepped inside.

"But Harry is right. Take Narcissa back in. Not because she's family. But so we can cease control of her and Bellatrix's accounts."

"What do you mean?" Sirius asked.

"Both my sisters married affluent men but with each of them came a huge dowry form our parents and the House Black. Most of the money Lucius flaunters around is actually Narcissas. And when Bellatrix was imprisoned, she took over her vaults. That is a lot of money. If Narcissa rejects Lucius and his name he won't have access to it anymore and it will cut off their funds by a lot! No more bribes wherever he pleases, no more fancy equipment and lavish lifestyle…" she explained.

"That is actually brilliant." Hermione whispered.

"Then, like Harry suggested, we put he under house-arrest and limit her communication with the outside world until all this has blown over."

Sirius thought about it. "Alright…that might work. But we can't do it right away. Lucius will know it, the second she rejects his name. And if she was saying the truth about the attack on Azkaban, they might put two and two together, figure out she's a spy and attack at another time or do something else entirely. We wait until after the attack, if its real."

"What if its not?" Ron asked.

"Then she can go back to Lucius and figure out a new plan." Harry said.

"Two weeks living with muggles. She won't like that one bit."

"I'm more concerned for Grace, Gina and the others. They have to live with her." Harry pointed out.

"Its just two weeks. It'll be fine." Andromeda promised.


End file.
